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PHILIP-WORTHY 


BY 


WILLIAM UEBET 

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Author of ‘‘ELDER TRUE RECALLED" 


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NASHVILLE, TENN. 

MCQUIDDY PRINTING COMPANY 

1904 


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LlER’.RYot CONGRESS 
Vwc Copies Koceivec 

JAN !9 1905 

Oopyngnt tniry 

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C^L-ISS Oy XXc. Noi 

COPY e. 




Copyright, 1905 

BY 


McQuiddy Printing Company 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


Chapter I. 

p 

His childhood days. Public-school days. Religious difficul- 
ties. Becomes a Christian. First university course. Sec- 
ond university course. Course in Bible college 

Chapter II. 

Selects a life companion. Locates at Outway. Conducts a 
great tent meeting. Establishes a congregation and 
preaches for it till material for elders and deacons is 
developed. Organizes a special Bible class 

Chapter III. 

Fairplay asks a place for Worthy on the ministerial pro- 
gramme for Conway, but is refused. Is promised a place 
on the next programme, the convention to be held at Pros- 
perity. Community appears at Prosperity to hear Worthy, 
but his name is not even on the programme. The awful 
conflict that followed. Fairplay returns home disappointed. 
The association compliments Dodger and promotes him. 
Fairplay reports to Worthy 

Chapter IV. 

Fairplay gets Worthy’s consent to hold a meeting at Conway 
during his next vacation. Reports to the church officers. 
Elder Oblivious suggests John Dodger’s name. The war 
of words that followed. Oblivious and Illwisher report the 
conference to the company awaiting their return. Fair- 
play and Elders Cheer, Trust, and Happy spend the re- 
mainder of the night discussing the situation and in prayer. 
Oblivious goes to Cheer to see whether they would consent 
for Dodger to use the house. Fairplay happens to be there, 
and another conflict follows. It is put to the congregation, 
and an overwhelming majority vote for Dodger to hold the 
meeting in the house. Preparation for the meeting. The 

meeting. Dodger called to be their first preacher-pastor. . . 

• /• 

Chapter V. 

Dodger is called upon to report his success at Conway at the 
ministerial meeting. Reports it from the beginning. The 


2 


Contents. 




PAGE. 

convention becomes enthusiastic over him. Proposes to 
publish the account of the Conway success. All agree to 
be on the alert in Dodger’s behalf 47 

f 

Chapter VI. 

Fairplay, presuming that the influence did not extend very 
far, applies for a place for Worthy on the State programme. 

Is astonished to learn that Trusty, the State secretary, is 
as familiar with affairs at Conway as Fairplay. The ter- 
riflc discussion that followed. Astonishing revelations 
which the discussion brought to the surface. Being re- 
fused a place for Worthy, he returns home with a low opin- 
ion of the preachers of the State. Trusty sets himself right 
with the State board 54 

Chapter VII. 

Fairplay makes a flnal effort for Worthy before the national 
programme committee. Is astonished to And the members 
in close and intimate touch with Trusty, Dodger, and ail 
the rest. The cyclonic discussion that followed. His dis- 
appointment, return, and report. Their decision 69 

Chapter VIII. 

The national committee conceives the plan of taking the sec- 
ond national convention to Outway to crush Worthy. Is 
approved by the flrst national convention that followed. 
Preparation for the convention at Outway. The pro- 
gramme. The advertisement. Time for the convention 
arrives. People, almost without number, pour into Out- 
way. Upman, the chairman, in ecstasies. Preachers oc- 
cupy the various denominational pulpits of the town. 
Beautiful harmony for the flrst few days of the convention. 78 

Chapter IX. 

The tables begin to turn. Honorbright, minister of 

Church, and many others come to Worthy to know why his 
name is not on the programme. Determines to secure the 
last session of the convention for Worthy. Prepares mam- 
moth petition. Presents it to the convention managers. 

' Their confusion. Reluctant acceptance. The immense au- 
dience. Philip’s appearance. His address. The wonder- 
ful results that foMow 


89 


PREFACE. 


That there is manifest injustice among our brethren^ I 
presume that no one will deny; but as to who is responsible 
for this injustice^ I presume there has always been a great 
variety of opinions hitherto. But henceforth there will he 
no ]>arties to the controversy; for* now the question is for- 
ever settled^ as in this book every one has had an opportunity 
to speak for himself and has delivered himself fully. True, 
at times some of the speakers were just a tritie reluctant about 
expressing themselves; for as love letters sound and read bet- 
ter in private, so some of the speakers in this book had very 
many things which they thought would sound a great deal 
better in private caucuses and committee rooms than they 
would in public. However, the design of this book was to, 
if possible, bring such pressure to bear upon them as would 
compel them to speak forth in the clearest and most unmis- 
takable language all those things which they have only acted 
hitherto. 

Feeling that no one has been misrepresented, that all have 
had an opportunity, and that justice has been done by all, 
we send this book forth, with the hope that it will encourage 
those who are right to go on in the right way and discourage 
those who are in the Avrong and turn them from the wrong 
way. The Author. 


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IN' 


PHILIP WORTHY. 


CHAPTER I. 


Philip Wortlpy was born on January 18 — , in the small 

villaore of Conwav. This villa, o*e was very unattractive^ 
situated, as it was, in the midst of some not very fertile hills. 
There being no large cities near and having hut little com- 
munication with distant cities, the facilities for the education 
of the people of this village were meager. They were all 
poor and backwoodsy,^^ in all that the ordinary acceptation 
of that term implies. But, as is frequently true in such com- 
munities, many were very religious. They had one or more 
great revival meetings every year, when many were converted. 
Philip’s parents had gone to the anxious seat and had been 
converted when they were in their teens; and Philip’s ears 
were accustomed to their voices in the reading of the Scrip- 
tures, in prayer, and in the relating of their wonderful expe- 
riences in conversion. They had only three months’ school 
in the year, and Philip’s extreme poverty would never per- 
mit him to attend more than half the term; but, because of 
his industry and native ability, he would advance as much 
in the short time that he attended as many would in the 
entire term. They never had more than two or three books, 
one of which was the Bible, to take to school in those days. 
Hence the Bible naturally became his main study at school, 
and especially at home. After having read the blew Testa- 
ment through several times, he became interested in his own 


6 


Philip Worthy. 


salvation veiy early — when he was about twelve years of 
age — and so expressed himself to his parents^ who told him 
to go to the anxious seat at the very next opportunity^ when 
he could pray^ and they would all pray with and for him, that 
peradventure God would liless him in the pardon of his sins. 
He told them that he had read the Xew Testament through, 
and it said nothing about the anxious seat, and that he was 
afraid to do anything that the Bible did not tell him to do. 
They tried for several years to reconcile him; but the more 
he read the Bible, the less inclined he was toward anything 
that was not written. 

Wlien he was sixteen years of age, Philip told the preacher 
that he wanted to be baptized upon the simple confession of 
his faith. 


The minister said : I have been in this charge for many 

years, and I remember distinctly to have sprinkled you in 
infancv with inv own hands.^^ 

%j 

Philip answered : But the Bible nowhere commands ei- 
ther sprinkling or infant baptism.’^ He continued : I love 

you, my parents, and everybody; but 1 fear God, tremble at 
his word, and am afraid to add to or take from the word of 
God.^^ 


When Philip was twenty-one years of age, he was acknowl- 
edged' to be the best-informed man in the Scriptures in the 
entire community, not even the minister excepted. He ap- 
plied to tlie ministers of the different churches in the com- 
munity for baptism upon the simple confession of his faith in 
Christ; but tliey all refused, on the ground that it was con- 
trary to the rules of their churches. His knowledge of the 
Bible had by this time become proverbial; so that while he 
was kind, gentle, and not at all inclined to controversy or 
fault-finding, yet his presence at a meeting would, in a meas- 


Philip Worthy. 


7 

ure, destrO’V the entliusiasni * for acknowledging his superior 
knowledge of the Bible and seeing his honest fear to go be- 
yond that which is written for anything, the bare thought 
of the possibility of the people's being- wrong in some things, 
and hence the necessity of making some changes, was begin- 
ning to dawn upon some of them. 

Some time within the next year an Elder Booker, of what 
they had always heard called the Campbellite Church,^’ 
came to the town and asked permission to preach in the 
church ■ house ; but they said: Xo; the C'ampbellites are fol- 

lowing a poor, weak, fallible, mortal man, instead of Jesus 
Christ; teach liaptismal regeneration ; deny the operation, 
if not the existence, of the Holy Spirit; and they are a dan- 
gerous people.'^ 

Elder Booker then rented a store building, and many went 
out to hear him the first night. His text was 2 Tim. 4 : 1, 2 : 
I charge thee therefore before Cod, and the Lord J esus 
Christ, who shall .judge the quick and the dead at his appear- 
ing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in sea- 
son, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long- 
suffering and doctrine.^^ Tlie minister said : We are mis- 

represented in almost everything — indeed, a,s advocating and 
doing exactly the opposite of what we believe. For instance, 
we are represented as wearing the name of a man; but we 
do not only refuse to wear a human name ourselves, but we 
insist upon it that it is wrong for any church to do so. What 
is true of the name is true of everything else. We plead for 
the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, as our 
exclusive rule of faith and practice — that where the Bible 
speaks, we will speak; and where the Bible is silent, we will 
be silent.*' 

This was exactly that for which Philip Worthy had been 


8 


Philip -Worthy. 


contending for years; and he had^ in a measure^ persuaded 
many others now present to believe as he did. So while Elder 
Booker was contending for the unity of all God^s people upon 
the Bible alone^ Philip resolved not only to respond to the 
invitation that day, but to spend his entire life contending 
for the same thing. When the invitation wtis extended, he 
and many others responded, one of the number being James 
Fairplay, who had loved Philip as a playmate in school and 
now as a young man; and while he had never expressed him- 
self even to Philip, still he believed as Pliilip did, and had 
always honored him for his honesty, modesty, and devotion to 
the word of God. 

As soon as Philip became a Christian, he at once began to 
think how he might thoroughly qualify himself to preach 
the gospel to any audience in the United States; for he did 
not want to be a respecter of persons, and he realized that 
the rich and cultured needed to hear and obey the gospel as 
much as the poor and illiterate. He also realized that edu- 
cation would be no disadvantage to him among the illiter- 
ate, while illiteracy would be an untold disadvantage to him 
among the educated. He believed, too, that while he was 
acquiring a finished education in the universities of the coun- 
try, he would have many opportunities of teaching the Bible 
by precept and example. 

James Fairplay, knowing Philip’s desire for an education, 
now became more interested in him than ever. He knew 
that it was three hundred miles to the nearest university; 
and as this happened to be one of the best schools in the 
country, he knew that Philip would naturally feel inclined 
tow*ard that institution; but knowing his extreme poverty, 
the great question with James Fairplay was as to how he 
could surmount the difficulties. He noticed that Philip was 


Philip Worthy. 


9 


not missing a day^ or even a part of a day^ from his work, 
for which he was receiving very small wages. 

By and by James Fairplay saw Philip making prepara- 
tions to leave home. Supposing^ of course, that Philip was 
going where he could get better wages for his work, James 
asked him just where he was going to work, how much bet- 
ter wages he would get, and how many years he thought he 
would have to work in order to have money enough to at- 
tend college a term or two. 

Why, I am getting ready to start to college now,^^ said 
Philip. 

^*Xow? ’^ asked James. 

Yes,^^ said Philip ; I will start to-day.^’ 

But,^^ said James, ^Miave you much money 
Xo,^^ said Philip, I have a very small amount; but 
I expect to walk to college, and will try to get some work 
on the way. If I canJ get work, I have money enough to 
pay for .food and lodging till I get there, and I think some 
provision is made in connection with the institution for those 
who desire to work.^^ . 

James said nothing, sympathized with Philip, admired 
him as never before, and resolved to watch his career. When 
he went home, he told his folks that Philip Worthy would 
shake the continent if nothing happened. 

The same day at noon Philip bade his parents, brothers, 
sisters, and friends good-by; and, with a small bundle in 
his hand, he started on his long journey on foot, with barely 
money enough to meet his expenses, even traveling in that 
way. As he had inherited a strong physique and had formed 
no l)ad habits, though he was not at all accustomed to walk- 
ing such a long distance, in eight days he appeared upon the 
college campus, which was almost forty miles per day. He 


10 


Philip Worthy. 


reached his destination a few davs before eoniinenceinent 
day. He went to the president of the college at once and 
told him his financial condition and his object in coining. 
The president^ who had been connected with college work 
for a great many years^ never looked into the face of one 
whom he admired more. As he looked upon Philip's strong 
and manly form and face — not at all embarrassed, but ex- 
ceedingly humble — he could not help predicting a bright fu- 
ture for him. S'o he told him that the school term would 
close in a few days; that he thought that he had better 
attend the commencement exercises if he could, but in the 
meantime he might look around and secure some employment 
for the summer. 


While Philip was not impulsive and excitable, looking at 
everything in a Imsinesslike way, never thinking of such a 
thing as fail, yet the kind look and friendly words of the 
president encouraged him. He went out, and the same day 
secured employment on the State farm, in connection with 
the university, at larger wages than he had ever received be- 
fore. He worked till commencement day, and enjoyed the 
exercises on that day very much. It was all different from 
anything that he had ever seen, but concerning which he had 
read much, having received a catalogue of the work of the 
university and examined it thoroughly. 

Philip discharged his duties on the farm so faithfully that 
when he told the foreman that he would have to quit, he 
was offered a special position at much higher wages. 

Philip said: ‘^‘1 am now twenty-one years of age; and if 
J ever exj)ect to get an education, 1 will have to enter the 
university now; hut 1 will have to work mornings, evenings, 
and Saturdays in order to meet my expenses, and would like 
e m p 1 oy m en t here. ' ' 


Philip Worthy. 


11 


Mo^t certainly,'’ said the foreman. If I ever need just 
one man and yon want to work^ no other man need apply.” 
Philip took the little money he had earned, paid his room 
rent and tuition, bought some books and clothing, and en- 
tered upon liis school work proper. He never volunteered 
to give a recitation ; but in every instance when he was called 
upon he would show such originality and such a thorough 
grasp of not only the question, but of the subject of which 
the question was a part, that it was but a short time till the 
students and teachers would naturally turn to him with their 
difficult questions and prohlems. 

When Saturday came, frequently the foreman on the farm 
would come to Philip’s room by daylight to see whether he 
wanted Avork before others could ask for it, for he said : You 

do such good work and are so reliable that, instead of mv 
having to look after you to keep you at Avork, and then hav- 
ing to do some of your Avork over, your good example over 
those Avith Avhoni you AVork inspires them to do good AVork.” 
When the LoixPs day came, Philip Avas ahvays in his place 
at the Bible school — the same modest, but thoughtful, gen- 
tleman that he always Avas. His superior knowledge of the 
Scriptures astonished the class and teacher from the begin- 
ning, and he Avas soon recognized liy the entire church as al- 
most authority on difficult passages of scripture. 

Before the first year expired. Elder AYnerable said to 
Ifiiilip : I am getting old, and my church Avork is becom- 

ing too heavy for me. 1 am trying to do the Avork here and 

preach for our mission of fifty members aAvay out on 

street. Noav, could you not relieve me of the Avork of the 
mission? Could you not go and teach them the Scriptures 
morning and evening, break bread Avith them, and attend 
their prayer meetings ? 


12 


Philip Worthy. 


My purpose is^ and has been for some time, to make 
Bible teaching my life work/'^ said Philip ; and if I thought 
that I could do the work of the mission, I would like to un- 
dertake it.'^ 

I know that you can do the work,'' said Elder Venerable ; 
and he proceeded to make the announcement accordingly. 

The people of the mission were delighted, for they had 
seen him and heard him and had learned to think a great 
deal of him. While the compensation was necessarily small, 
yet from the first it was sufficient to meet his expenses in 
the university, for he was naturally economical. 

Philip continued his work in the university for four years, 
led all his classes, was valedictoTian, and received two di- 
plomas. During the time the mission church had grown 
from fifty to two hundred members, had a good house, was 
out of debt, and absolute harmony prevailed. 

Before Philip left for another course of study in a more 
Eastern college, the university gave him a reception, at which 
the president of the college, some of the professors, and the 
presidents of the various societies made short addresses. The 
church also gave him a reception, at which Elder A^enerable 
and many others expressed their very high appreciation of 
the wonderful work that Philip did while there; and the city 
papers gave him lengthy write ups," all predicting for him 
a bright future. There never was a man better prepared to 
enter upon a second college course. He was thorough in 
what he had gone over, and was greatly encouraged by the 
commendation that the entire citv had given him wlien he 
left. 

One of the quite strong churches in the city to which he 
was going was without a minister just at that time, and, 
hearing of his coming, made a provisional appointment for 


Philip Worthy. 


13 


him for the first Lord's day that he was to be there. When 
he arrived and was told of the appointment^ he was very 
much pleased. He said : The church work is my meat 

and my drink. My college ymrk is simply preparatory to 
increasing my efficiency in church work.^^ 

If possible^ Philip made a brighter record in this uni- 
versity than in the first one; for he was older, knew more, 
and entered with cpiite a prestige. He preached with great 
acceptance to the church to which he was called during his 
entire three-years’ course. In addition to his school and 
church work, he occupied the chair of English literature, as 
a member of the faculty, during the last year. At that time 
he was receiving eight hundred dollars a year for his preach- 
ing and six hundred dollars a year for his teaching. 

Graduating with the highest honors at that celebrated in- 


stitution, to complete his preparation for the ministry he 

then prepared to spend two years at Bible College. It 

was with great reluctance that the church at gave him 

up, but for the sake of further preparation for his life work 
it finally consented. 

t/' 

Through his past record, Philip was called to the chair of 
mental philosophy in the university of which the Bible de- 
partment was a part, at a salary of one thousand dollars a 
year; and soon after entering the college he was called to 
minister to a church, for which he received one thousand 
dollars a year. 

Notwithstanding the great load that he was now carry- 
ing, which was a niarvel to all who knew him, yet it seemed 
to him to be no burden, but a great pleasure. The expres- 
sions of satisfaction and gratitude necessarily lightened his 
work. 


14 


Philip Woktiiy. 


CHAPTER II. 


Toward the close of his work at 


Bible College, Philip 


selected a life companion in the person of ^liss Love j 03% with 
whom he had been acquainted for three years, and who was 
bright, intelligent, scliolarly, and as devoted to the canse of 
Christ as himself. 

At the expiration of three years, against the protests of 
tlie church, college, and commnnitAq Philip resolved to lo- 
cate at the large and beantifnl town of Ontway for his future 
home, where he expected to work and whence he expected to 
go out, far and near, to preach the gospel. There was no 
church of Christ at Outway when he located there, but the 
first thing that he did was to hold a great tent meeting. His 
audiences were small at first, but increased slowly from the 
first and very rapidly toward the last. His andiences were 
small at first because comparatively few knew of his com- 
ing; those who did know of it knew him as a C'ampbellite,’’ 
and were so prejudiced against him that they went only 
through curiosity. But his sincere face and honest and able 
Bible teachings greatly disarmed them; so that they all went 
away, saying : We have been misinformed concerning these 

people, and are determined to hear more of them, and shall 
bring our friends to hear this preacher. 

On the second evening of the meeting the audience was 
almost twice as large as the first one. Philip Worthy said: 

1 want to teach nothing but the Bible, and you will do me 
a great kindness if you will ask me any questions you may 
desire.^^ 


Philip Worthy. 


15 


A Eev. ( ? ) Spout, pastor of the 


Church, arose and 


said : Why do you call yourselves ^ C'ampbellites ? ’ 

. AVe do not,’^ answered Philip. 

Yes,^^ vsaid Spout ; but you belong to the Campbellite 
Church, do you not ? 

Yo,^^ said AAWrthy; I do not.*^ 

Then to what church do you belong? asked Spout. 

I belong to the church of Christ,’’ answered Philip. 

But when was your church founded, and by whoin ? ” 
said Spout. 

I have no church myself, but belong to the church of 
Christ, which was founded on the first Pentecost after the 
Savior’s resurrection by Christ and through the apostles,” 


said Philip. 

But,” said Spout, how is it possible to enter that church 
now ? ” 

The way we understand it is this,” said Philip : ^C\t that 
time sinners asked what they were to do to be saved, and 
their question is recorded in the Yew Testament. The apos- 
tles answered that question, and their answer also is recorded 
in the Yew Testament. Yow we think that if people as]v 
the same question to-day and comply with the same answer 
that they did, it will make them members of the same churcli 
to-day that it made them members of then.” 

Philip’s explanation was so reiasonable that all present, 
except the preacher, lielieved it; and even he held his 


jjeace. 

Philip continued to preach the truth, the whole truth, and 
nothing but the truth, in such a simple, honest, yet scholarly, 
way that howeAxu’ critical or pugnacious one might be when 
lie first came, he would go away disarmed. People would go 
away saying : Well, that man certainly is right ; but if he 


16 


Philip Worthy.' 


is rights we are all wrong, at least in some things, and oiii 
good parents who are dead and gone died in error. 

Eev. (?) Spout said : If that Campbellite preacher is 

right, then our dear, good, religious fathers and mothers are 
dead and in hell.^^ 

So old Sister Devotion, of Church, went to Philip 

lYorthy and said: It seems to 'me that you are exactly 

right — that you teach nothing but the Scriptures; but if you 
are right, does it follow that our parents and others who died 
believing differently are lost? Brother Spout says it does.’^ 
Xo, indeed,'’ said Philip. Your parents, many of 
them, lived up to the light that they had. They did not un- 
derstand all, because the teachers either did not understand 
themselves or, through lack of reverence for the authority of 
God’s word, did not teach the whole truth. If your parents 
were living to-day and were honest and should understand 
as you do now, they, no doubt, would change. God requires 
all to be honest ; and for your parents to have taught and prac- 
ticed what they did not believe would have been dishonest, 
and to have saved them would have been to save them in 
their dishonesty.” 

That is so reasonable and satisfactory,” she said. Won’t 
you make that explanation from the pulpit? So many need 
to hear it.” • ■ • 

I most certainly will,” said Philip. 

The next time that Pliilip appeared in the pulpit he com- 
plied with the request, and thereby removed that which had 
been an apparently insurmountable difficulty. As a result, 
scores of those who had been affiliated with the various de- 
nominational bodies came forward, together with many who 
had never been identified with any church; and with this a 
revival wave started that soon resulted in a congregation with 


Philip Worthy. 


17 


a membership sufficient to build a good house of worship and 
support Philip Worthy as minister. 

Philip continued to preach for this church till he educated 
and developed material for elders and deacons, when he or- 
ganized the congregation and placed it under the instruction 
and oversight of the elders, while he took his tent and held 
meetings in different parts of the city. By the time he had 
established missions sufficiently strong to organize, there were 
one or two of the first congregation who had become so in- 
tensely interested that they wanted to spend their lives teach- 
ing the word ; but it being necessary for them to make some 
special preparation, they said to Philip : If you will teach 

us, we will greatly prefer it to going off to school.'' At once 
he organized a class, to whom he gave special Bible instruc- 
tion daily. 


18 


Philip Worthy. 


CHAPTER III. 


The niinisteria] association wa;s a])oiit to meet at Con- 
wav^ Philip’s home town; and James Fair])lav^ who was de- 
lighted beyond measure over the brilliant record that his 
friend and brother^ Phili])^ had made^ thought that now was 
the time for them to hear him. So he hiirried off to the 
programme committee and suggested that they put Phili])’s 
name on the programme^ as they were all so anxious to hear 
him. 


Well, no,” said John Dodger, chairman of the committee. 
We have the programme already made out.” 

**PBut,” said Fairplay, ^Wlid you not know that this is 
Philip’s old home?” 

Yes,” said Dodger; we all knew it.” 

Why, then, did you not put him on the programme ? ” 
asked Fairplay. 

Eeally, we did not happen to think of him. We will try 
to think of him next time,” said Dodger. 

''All right,” said Flairplay. We all want to hear him. 
We want to know where the ministers meet next time.” 


iC 

u 


They will meet at Prosperity,” said Dodger. 

James went away somewhat disappointed at Phili])’s not 
being on the programme this time, but elated at the thought 
of his being placed on it the next time, and mentioned the 
fact to all whom he met. S'o by the next meeting all who 
knew Philip had heard that he was to speak, and decided that, 
as it was only ten miles away, they would attend. 

When the time caine, nearly the whole community went 


Philip Wopthy. 


19 


to Prosperity to hear Philip's great address or sermon. The 
great clnireli in Avhieh the ministers met was filled almost to 
suffocation. Of course the ministers did not understand 
what it all meant. Eatii John Dodger did not understand 
it till he saAA^ James Fairplay sitting back in the audience, 
Avith as bright and expectant a face as he had eATr seen. 
Then it flashed upon him that they had all come to hear 
Philip Worthy. He then remembered haAdng promised J aines 
Fairplay that the committee AAmnld think of AYorthy the next 
time. He AA^as almost paralyzeH AAdth appprehension ; for he 
had had one coiiA’ersation Avith Fairplay, and learned thereby 
that he not only Avanted to see fair play in eA^erything, but 
that he AA^as of such a positiA^e nature as to insist upon it, 
and that he AAmuld rebuke falsehood and error AAdieneA^er and 
AAdierever he saAA' it, in public or priA^ate. 

By and by some one from CoiiAvay brought a programme 
and handed it to James F^airplay, saying: ^HJiilip’s name is 
not on the programme at all.'’ 

James read it carefulh' and saw that the forenoon address 
Avas to be deliATred bv Samuel Great man and that the after- 

a. 


noon address aaus to be delivered by Benjamin XeAvcome. 
Then FJiirplay arose and said : Mr. Chairman, I thought 

that Idiilip Worthy Avas to be on this programme, and Ave 
have all come to hear him ; hut I notice that his name is not 
on the programme at all.” 

Xo," said Eev. (?) Sturdy, the chairman; ^Hiis name 
does not appear on the programme.'’ 

Why not? ” said Fairplay. It Avas to have been on it.” 
Well, I cannot say,” said the chairman. ‘‘ 1 did not knoAv 
that he aaus to speak to-day. Besides, he never has been on 
any of our programmes.” 

That is not to the credit of the association," said Fair- 


u 

u 




20 


Philip Wokthy. 


play : for there is not a wisei% better, or more able man in 

the brotberboocl ; and I want to know just why be is not to 
speak to-day/^ 

Then J obn Dodger said : I am ebairman of the pro- 

gramme conimittee, and I did not understand that we were 
to put bis name on the programme for to-day/^ 

When I went to you/^ said Fairplay, and asked you to 
put him on the programme at Conway, bis home town, 
you told me that you bad the programme already made out; 
and I asked you if you did not know that that was bis home 
town and that we were all so anxious to bear him. You told 
me that you Avould try to remember him the next timer ^ 

Yes, but saying that we would tvij to remember him next 
time was not promising to put him on the programme,’^ said 
Dodger. There is quite a difference between trying to re- 
member a thing and doing a tbing/^ 

There is absolutely no difference with those who have 
any regard for their word,'^ said Fairplay. Did you not 
remember what you told me when you were making out the 
programme for to-day ? 

We did not,^^ said Dodger; but if we bad, we would not 
have put bis name on the programme.^^ 

Why not?^^ asked Fairplay. 

AVell, if yon will know the truth, I will tell you,^^ said 
Dodger. I have tried to put you off the best I could ; but 
you will not be put off, and now I am going to speak plainly. 
In the first place, we, as an association, do not look upon 
Philip AA'ortby as an able man — one who could speak to tlie 
edification of so able and honorable a body as this; in the 
second place, be is not in good standing with bis brethren, 
for be never attends the preacbers’ meetings; in the third 
place, we do not consider him a safe Bible teacber.^^ 




u 


Philip Worthy. 


21 


Then/^ said Fairplay, if these were your reasons^ why 
did you not say so? Why did you keep me and all his friends 
in the dark? Why did you deceive us? You know that 
if vou had said that at first, we would not have been here 
to-day. Yow^ with reference to the first charge — that is, that 
he is not an able man, one who is able to edify a body like 
this— I will say that you have never given him an opportu- 
nity. If you mean what you say, it is positive evidence that 
vou know nothing about the man ; for he took all the honors 
in all the colleges that he attended. Besides, he filled a pro- 
fessor’s chair in the second and third universities from which 
he graduated; preached, with great acceptance, to strong 
churches at these colleges; and built a mission church up to 
a strong, self-supporting congregation during his first college 
course. He not only pleased, but astonished, everybody with 
liis native and acquired ability, with his original and superior 
knowledge of everything that he studied; and unless you are 
all a great deal more intelligent than you look and can speak 
a great deal better than I have heard you, I am certain that 
he could not only edify you, but instruct any of you for 
years. 

There now ! exclaimed Dodger. ThaFs enough, un- 
less it were better. You need not be so personal. 

Yes,^^ said Fairplay; you think that it is too bad for 
me to talk to you to your faces, but that it is all right to talk 
about our good brother. Worthy, in his absence. Yow, as 
to the second charge — that he is not in good standing with 
his brethren because he does not attend the ministerial asso- 
ciation — I want to know what attending this association has 
to do with » a maiFs religious standing.^^ 

Well,’^ said Dodger, thaFs the decision of this associ- 
ation; and unless he attends these meetings, we have all de- 


22 


Philip Worthy. 




U 


cidecl to never recognize him in any way. We will never put 
Ihin on a programme of any kind whateveiy will never call 
him to hold a meeting for ns, will keep him out of the pul]>its 
in onr commnnity, and, to the extent of onr inflnence, will 
interfere with his work elsewhere.'' 

Bnt/^ said Fairplay, by what anthority do yon sit in 
judgment over your brother preachers? '^ 

We do not have to have anthority,'^ said Dodger. 

What? " said Fairplay. Don't need any anthority to 
put one of God's servants down, curtail and connterbalance 
his efforts, bnild iip a false impression against him, and drive 
him from the field entirely if possible? In the name of all 
that is good and trne, then, for what would yon want anthor- 
ity? I have frequently wondered why Worthy and so many 
of onr good brethren do not attend these meetings, but now 
1 understand it all. It is sim])lv becanse thev are too con- 
scientions to participate in some things that yon do in these 
meetings. I have frequently heard of most nncalled-for and 
incredible decisions of this ministerial bodv — for instance, 
if yon thought a preacher slionld be silenced from preaching, 
why, some preacher in good standing with the association 
would simply bring his case up before the next meeting of 
the ministers, and they would proceed at once to resolute and 
deal v'ith him — but I never believed it till now." 

Well,'' said Dodger, if the ministers don't do it, who 
will ? '’ 

There is but one body on earth," said Fairplay, ^Svhich 
has any authority in the case — :namely, the congregation of' 
which he is a member. As to this preachers’ association, as 
such, yon have absolutely no anthority for anything that yon 
do. You are not even requested by any one to come to these 
meetings. Yon come together of yonr own accord, foot yonr 


Philip Worthy. 


23 


own 1)ills^ and arrange yoiir own progTammes. Then for you 
to arrogate to yonrselveis ^ir^rogRtives that belong to the eld- 
ers of the various congregations and to God himself is the 
most God-dishonoring and Heaven-defying thing that could 
be imagined. Your third charge is that Worthy is not a safe 
Bible teacher. Xow, I defy any of you to mention a single 
feature of his teaching and practice that is not eminently 
scriptural. 

You know/’ said Dodgeiy as well as I do'^ that Worthy 
has no organ or instrumental music of any kind whatever in 
his worship.^^ 

‘^^Just so/^ said Fairplay; ‘M)ut where is the chapter and 
verse in the Yew Testament that says we are to have instru- 
mental music in the worship ? 

Of course the Yew Testament does not command it, but 
what harm is there in having it? said Dodger. 

That is not the question/^ said Fairplay. You have 
all turned your backs upon Worthy because you say that he 
is not a safe Bible teacher ; and now, when you are pressed, 
you have to admit that the Bible nowhere commands instru- 
mental music in the churches of Christ, but apparently in 
great surprise you ask : ^ What harm is there in having it ? ^ 
If you condemn him because he does not agree with you in 
matters of opinion, why do you not say so ?^^ 

But,^’ said Dodger, you know that he has no Endeavor 
Society, Christian Woman’s Board of Missions, Ladies’ Aid, 
and not even a regular Sunday school, with Sunday-school 
literature — nothing but a Bible school.” 

‘MVhat of it?” asked Fairplav. Do vou mean that he 
is not a safe Bible teacher because the congregation of which 
he is a member and for which he preaches at times has none 
of these things?” 


24 


. Philip Worthy. 


That is exactly what I mean/' said Dodger. 

Then give me chapter and verse where we are commanded 
to have any of these things/' said Fairplay. 

We will give yon nothing/' said Dodger. 

What? " said Fairplay. Yon, posing not only as Chris- 
tians, but as dignified ministers of the gospel — yea, as 
the pastors of the congregations — and, to the extent of yonr 
influence, shnt as able and good a man as Philip ^Yorthy off 
from all the avenues of usefulness, on the ground that he is 
hot teaching the Bible or is not a safe Bible teacher; and 
when called upon to show wherein he fails to teach the Bible 
or any part of it, you say you will do nothing of the kind I 
Why, that is worse than slipping up and stabbing a man in 
the back. Why do you not appoint a delegation to go and 
confer with Worthy and show him where the Scriptures com- 
mand those things that he is leaving out, if you can, and 
thereby give him a chance? I know the reason why 3^011 do 
not do it. It is because you yourselves know full well that 
there is not one syllable of scripture authority for any of 
those things for the omitting of which you condemn him. 
The trouble is this: You know that he is a safe Bible teacher, 
that you men are not, and that the very presence of one who 
does nothing but what is plainly taught by precept or ex- 
ample in the Bible is a hearty rebuke to you who teach and 
practice just anything that you, in your weakness and vanity, 
think is all right. From what you have said to-day and from 
the silence of these men about you, I think that this preach- 
ers’ association,' as you call it, is about as destitute of, and 
as oblivious to, the spirit of Christ and Yew Testament Chris- 
tianity a.s a body of men could well be." 

el list at this point Pev. (?) Sturdy, chairman of the asso- 
ciation, pounded the desk, stamped his foot, and said, with 


/ 


Philip Worthy. 



all possible emphasis : We can have no more of this. More 

than half the time for onr programme has passed already. 
I would have called yon down right on the start ; but, then^ 


I knew that yon needed just such a drubbing as yon have been 
getting and that Pev. Dodger was the very man to give it to 
yon. But von do not seem to have sense enouMi to know 
when you are whipped; and now that your insolence has be- 
come intolerable^ you must stop right where you are.’' 

Fairplay and his friends then filed out of the house. When 
they were all out^ Pev. ( ? ) Walker arose and said : Mr. 

Chairman^ this time has been well spent^ for we have seen 
the complete triumph of truth over error; and I move you, 
sir, that we give Brother Dodger a vote of thanks for his able 


i£ 


Are 


defense of the truth.” 

I second the motion,” said Pev. (?) TalkM. 

You have heard the motion," said the chairman, 
there anv remarks ? ” 

Pev. (?) Pusher then arose and said : Air. Chairman, 

1 am most heartilv in favor of this motion: If this associa- 


tion should fail to take note of such valuable and valiant 
service, I do not feel that I would ever want to attend an- 


other meeting.” 

Several others spoke in the same strain, after which the 
chairman said : You have heard the motion. All in favor 


of the same will please signify it by standing.” 

All SI irang to their feet. Among the verv first to stand 
Avere Pevs. ( ? ) Cower and Tody, who in their hearts saw 
through and disapproved of the whole thing, but reasoned 
that if they did anything to meet the disappproval of the 
leaders, or even arouse their suspicion, they were powerful, 
unscrupulous, and uncompromising, and would sink them 


26 


Philip Worthy. ' 


into oblivion if they could. So thev tried to stand lirst to 
keep down suspicion. 

^fany present that day resolved to reward Dodger by pro- 
moting him at every opportunity; and^ as a matter of fact, 
the ver}^ next time they made him president of the minis- 
terial association, and at the next State convention they 
elected him president of the State board. To show their 
appreciation further, at the following State convention after 
his election to the presidency they made up money to send 
him to the national convention. 

Janies Fairplay and his friends, who had attended this 
ministerial meeting with such bright and happy anticipa- 
tion, returned honie, disappointed, astonished, and righteously 
indignant. Philip Worthy knew nothing of the honest and 
heroic effort that his friend and brother, Fairplay, was mak- 
ing for him; and if he had, he would have discouraged him. 
Wlnle he had never been caught in their meshes, it was sim- 
ply because he had never given them an opportunity. He 
had attended these associations and conventions long enough 
to learn from observation, and not from hearsay, just how 
they were conducted ; and he had long since decided that he 
could not conscientiously work in them, and that, hence, he 
would have to steer as clear of their intiuence as possible. 
For that very reason he had selected the beautiful and pros- 
perous city of Outway, where there was no church and which 
was quite a distance from the general meeting places of the 
conventions, etc. He preached for the First Church there 
quite regularly for a few years, till men developed proper 
qualifications for the eldership, when he organized the con- 
gregation and left the other elders (he himself was made an 
elder as soon as he had the scripture qualifications) to do 
most of the teaching; while he himself was sent out by the 


Philip Worthy. 


27 


congTCgation to do evangelistic -work in the eit\% villages^ and 
country places around. In addition to his evangelistic work, 
as already stated, he started a Bible class for the purpose of 
training young men for the ministry*. He began with two 
young men, John Hopeful and Peter Faithful, who requested 
instruction at first. Before one year had expired, there were 
fifteen in the class, all of whom were stndving for the min- 

y t v_ 

istrv. 

K 

At the expiration of three years, Philip, having held manv 
meetings at different points in the city, and especially at two 
points, had succeeded in estahlishing good, strong missions 
at the two latter places, where some of the elders of the First 
Cdiurch (which had grown to four hundred members) had 
been teaching in his absence. At the request of these two 
missions. Brother Hopeful located at one place and Brother 
Faithful at the other. Plere they taught these congregations, 
while members developed the necessary qualifications for eld- 
ers and deacons. They continued their studies in school, 
while Philip and the elders of the First Church were doing 


the work of that church and assisting in establishing addi- 
tional missions in the city and some in neighboring towns. 
The school had also now grown to fifty pupils, many of whom 
were preparing for the ministry, while the others were study- 
ing for the sake of Bible knowledge especially and other 
l)ranehes by the way. So by this time Philip had to intro- 
duce a regular curriculum of study. 


28 


Philip Worthy. 


CHAPTER IV. 


About this time the thought came to James Fairplay that 
if they could not get to hear Philip Worthy at a ministerial 
association^ they could get to hear him at their oavh home^ 
which was Philip’s old home also. So he^ being a special 
friend of Philip’s^ Avrote him as a friend, and not as an officer 
of the church (he had ahvays refused to become either an 
elder *or a deacon, because he had no children), to knoAV 
Avhether he could come and hold them a meeting during the 
next vacation in case the officers of the congregation should 


so decide. Philip Avrote him at once that he Avould like so 
much to do so; for his school had noAV assumed such pro- 
portions that it Avas really necessary for him to spend his 
vacations becoming acquainted Avith the people, receiving 
money for a school building, and getting students for the 


school. 

So Fairplay attended the next meeting of the officers; and 
Avhen an opportunity offered, he arose and said : Brethren, 

I knoAv that I have a piece of good neAvs to break to you — 
neAvs that Avill hrmg joy and gladness to every one of your 
hearts, as Avell as to the entire congregation. 1 have been 
corresponding Avith Pliilip Worthy simply as a friend; and 
Avhile assuming no authority in the matter, I just asked him, 
in case you should desire him to come and hold us a meet- 
ing during next vacation, if it Avould be possible for him to 
come. He Avrote me that he Avould be delighted to do so ; 
and knoAving that you Avould all be delighted to have him, I 
resolved to appear at your first meeting and lay the matter 


Philip Wopthy. 


29 


before yoii^ that you might lose no time in securing him 
before he should be engaged elsewhere/^ 

Elders Cheer^ Trusty and Happy said: '^Language can- 
not express our joy and satisfaction/^ 

Elder Cheer continued : I know that the presence and 

preaching of a man of his great scholarship and ability^ his 
almost pure life, and his stainless character will not only 
strengthen the brethren^ but will convict and convert scores, 
if not hundreds. Besides, it will bring our plea proniinently 
before the people and give our church a standing in the com- 
munity that it could not have otherwise. 

Elders Trust and Happy said : Brother Cheer is right, 

and we are most heartily in favor of having Brother Worthy 
to come and hold the meeting. We know that it will be a 
great spiritual uplift to the community.^^ 

All this time James Fairplay was rejoicing from the depths 
of his inmost soul to think that the unscrupulous and un- 
compromising ministerial association was helpless to inter- 
fere with their work at Conway, for he knew that not one 
in the association had ever preached for them. True, they 
had had one meeting of the association in the town, but not 
in their church house; in fact, the elders had done all the 
public instructing, except an occasional meeting by Elder 
Booker, who preached when Philip Worthy, James Fairplay, 
and many others obeyed the gospel. 

Imagine James Fairplay^s surprise and utter astonishment 
when Elder (3blivious said : I do not think that Worthy 

is the man to hold the meeting at all.^^ 

/NTeither do 1 /^ said Elder Illwisher. 

Why not ? asked Fairplay. 

AVell, we think that there are other men who would do 
the church a great deal more good,^^ said Oblivious. 


30 


Philip AYorthy. 


1 defy you to name one who could do us more s:ood than 
Philip Worthy/'' said Fairplay. 

I think we could name seyeral/'' said Obliyious. 

‘^hTust name one/'' said Fairplay. 

Elder Illwisher and I had thought of one especially, and 
had talked of mentioning his nain^ to the officers here and 
rec|uesting them to get him to hold our meeting/^ said Oh- 
liyious. I haye reference to Brother J ohn Dodger.'’ 

''John Dodger!’’ exclaimed Fairplay. "John Dodger! 
Certainly you do not mean John Dodger! WI13/ we had just 
as well get the wicked one himself^ for I haye neyer seen a 
man more destitute of the spirit of Christ than John Dodger. 
Wh}/ he is the chairman of the programme committee^ who 
refused to put Philip on the programme when the ministe- 
rial association was held here a few years ago^ because^ as he 
said, the programme was already made out^ but would try 
to remember him the next time; and when hiany of us went 
the next time to hear him^ his name was not on the pro- 
gramme at all. AVhen asked about it^ he said he did not agree 
to put his name on the programme. I told him that he said 
that he would try to remember him the next time^ but he 
said that trying to renieniber a thing and doing a thing were 
Cjuite diiferent. Finall}/ when he was pressed^ he said plainly 
that they did not forget Philip at all^ but left him off be- 
cause he was not sufficiently able and was not a safe Bil)le 
teacher; but he was forced to admit Philip's ability and scrip- 
turalness in eyerything. Still, instead of yielding, as he 
should haye done, he rayed and abused me. The chairman 
of the association took sides with him at the time. They all 
passed a yote of thanks in his behalf, and 1 am told that they 
have been promoting him eyer since. Xo; that man has 
absolutely no regard tor his own word or respect for the 


1 4 








Philip Worthy. 


31 




t* 

\ . 

r. 

r 

} 


word of God. The man would have to repent of all of his 
miserable^ gross, and awful sins before he would be worthy 
of even membership in the church, much less the pulpit ; and 
to call him to hold a protracted meeting for us — it is sim- 
ply too ridiculous to talk about, and I will oppose it to the 



verv last.^^ 

Brother Fairplay,^^ said Oblivious, it is not becoming 
in a Christian to go to such extremes. I have heard Brother 
Dodger several times of late; and he is not only an able 
speaker, but one of the most spiritual men whom I have ever 
heard.*' 

^GSpiritual ! exclaimed Fairplay. Why, the man does 
not know the meaning of the word ^ spiritual ; ^ and if a man 
ever did manifest the spirit of the wicked one, John Dodger 
did in his opposition to Philip Worthy. Besides, you know 
that he is in favor of every new thing that has ever been in- 
troduced into the church to mar the peace and happiness of 
God's people and divide the churches all over the country.'' 

Well,^^ said Oblivious, rather than run along in an old 
rut, as we have been doing from the very beginning, I think 
we ought to be divided. 

In an old rut ! '^' said Fairplay. What do you mean ? *’ 

I mean,'’ said Oblivious, to just run along in the old 
Xew Testament way of doing everything.” 

Why not?” asked Fairplay. " 

You know as well as I do that times have changed,” said 
Oblivious ; and if we, as a church, do not change, too, and 
keep abreast with the times, we just make ourselves a laugh- 
iui^stock.” 

^MVhat? " said Fairplay. Become a laughingstock be- 
cause we will not teach and practice in a different way from 
that prescribed in the Yew Testament!” 






! 


32 


Philip Wopthy. 


Of course we will,'^ said Oblivious, and you know it." 
Yes/^ said Fairplay; “ but which is better^, to have the 
wicked world laughing at us here for doing right or to have 
Him who sitteth in the heavens laughing at our presump- 
tion and folly, as he did at the vanity of the earthly kings 
wlio took counsel together against the Lord’s Anointed ? ” 

0, Fairplay, you do make me so tired ! ” said Oblivious, 
r have heard that old ^ rot ’ all my life, and I do hope that 
some tiine I may be so situated that I will never hear it 


again. 


a 




Where, when, how, and why did you ever come to such a 
position as you now occupy?” asked Fairplay. ^MYe always 
thought that you Avere in perfect sympathy with the Avork 
liere ; but,^ still, Ave might have knoAvn better by your pro- 
found silence at our officers’ meetings, especially AAdien Ave 
Avere speaking against the introduction of things and organi- 
zations not taught in the Avord of God. . Again, Ave might 
have known that you Avere not in sym})athy Avitli us from your 
frequent absence from our services.” 

Elder IllAvisher then spoke up and said : “ You are exactly 
right about that. The prosy, old-time Avay of doing every- 
thing liere, Avith neA^er a change, has just about Avorn us 
out.” 

‘MVliy, tlien, did you not let it be known long ago?’' said 
Fairpla}L 

Do you think that Ave Avere simple enough to strike a cold 
iron? ” said lllAvisher. No; a\X‘ Avere Avaiting to get the iron 
hot, and then we could strike Avith some ho|)e of sha])iiig it 
to suit ourselves.” 

Then Avhy did you think of requesting John Dodger's 
services at this time?” asked Faii*[)lay. 

“ Sim 1)1 V because Ave thoimlit the iron not only hot, but red- 


Philip Worthy. 


33 


hot; not only red-hot, ]jut at a white heat/'' answered Ill- 
wisher. 

Yon do not niean to say that others than yon two elders 
are in favor of the changes suggested, do you?^^ said Fair- 

9 

play. 

That is exactly what I niean/^ said Illwisher ; ** and if 
von do not believe what I say, von will soon have vonr mind 
disabused. There is no use of continning this controversy 
any further; hnt I want to say to yon plainly that John 
Dodger is going to hold a meeting in this town, witli the 
consent of these other elders, if they will give it, bnt without 
':heir consent, if they will not give it. He will hold it in 
onr chnrch house, if yon will let him; bnt if yon will not lex 
him, he will hold it elsewhere; for we have already agreed 
with him. Why, there is not a man in the association who 
stands higher than John Dodger. I attended a meeting of 
the ministers some time ago and told them that we wanted 
a man in sympathy with the workings of the association to 
come and hold ns a meeting some time in the near future — 
one who could do the most to bring onr chnrch in line with 

• 

the brotherhood; for, brethren, yon know yonrselves that as 
we do not have an Endeavor Society, a Christian AYoman’s 
Board of Missions, a Ladies’ Aid, such a Sunday school as 
they all have, a salaried pastor, and especially as we do not 
work through their missionary societies, we are all out of line 
with onr brotherhood; and it is not right, either. They 
agreed that John Dodger, who was away at that time in a 
great meeting, was the very man we needed — able, scholarly, 
scriptnra], and eminently fitted in every way for the work 
at this place.” 

Bnt are the tilings whicli separate ns even mentioned in 
the Bible?” asked Fairplay. 


34 


PiriLip Worthy. 


There is that old threadbare argument again/" said Ill- 
wisher. It makes me sick. If I were in your place^ just 
for the sake of originalit}^ or a change, I would try to think 
up some other line of argument.'* 

There is no other legitimate line of argument/*^ said 
Fairplay; and in this there is no trickery or fraud, such 
as you men have had to resort to in order to carry your point 
here — I say ^ carry 3 ^our 2 >oint; ^ for from what you say I pre- 
sume that you have been quietly influencing the members, 
especially the younger members, by prevailing upon them to 
attend elsewhere just as often as you could, by having mem- 
bers of other congregations to attend here as often as possible 
and mix and mingle with our young people to influence them, 
and, further, b}^ distributing their literature among them.^^ 

I could not have worded it anv better mvself,'' said 111- 
wisher. You seem to understand the situation exactly as 
it is; and you will, no doubt, be astonished to see a large 
majority rally to Brother Dodger when he comes. They have 
already pledged their word. They say that they will do just 
anything for a change.'''' 

If yon had never heard of God, Christ, or the Bible, you 
could not possibly have done a lower and meaner trick,'^ said 
Fairpla.y. You can make the low, scheming, wire-pulling 
politician ashamed of himself.'^ 

Xow, is that a Christlike spirit? asked Illwisher. 

\ am righteously indignant,'' said Fairplay, for I do 
not believe that the Savior himself would any more ap])rove 
of such political scheming in connection with church work 
than I do.'* 

Well/'^ said Elder Cheer, I am astonished beyond meas- 
ure at the present condition of things; for I was like Brother 
Fair])lay: I thought that perfect peace and harmony pre- 


Philip Worthy. 


35 


vailed throughout the entire membership. We will now have 
to leave results with the Lord.*^ 

So they adjourned. Fairplay, Trust, and Happy went to 
Elder Cheer’s home; while Illwisher went with Oblivious to 
his home, where quite a number of }'Oung people, and some 
not quite so young, had been waiting till a very late hour to 
hear the report of the conference. 

How did they take it ? ” asked young Alac Smart, the 
whole crowd leaving their seats, rushing to Oblivious, the 
men placing their hands upon his knees and the women 
placing their hands and elbows upon his shoulders. 

Take your seats, for it will take some time to tell it all,” 
said Oblivious. 

Well, sir, the funniest thing happened that you could 
possibly imagine. Ha, ha, ha ! ” said Oblivious. 

Ho, ho, ho ! ” laughed Illwisher. 

Don’t you think that Fairplay was there and proposed 
Philip Worthy’s name ? Puli, ha, ha, ha, ha ! You will have 
to excuse me, for 1 declare to you that it was the most com- 
ical sight I ever saw,” said Oblivious. 

Ha, ha, ha ! He, he, he ! Hi, hi, hi ! Whoopee ! ” 
laughed Oblivious and Illwisher together. 


Thus they continued till, with tears in their eyes and hands 
upon their hips, they ceased to make any noise^ — just stood 
and panted. 

^MVell,” said Oblivious, *Ais I started to say, while Fair- 
play was not an officer of the church, he appeared before the 
officers to present Worthy’s name. Did you ever see a 
brighter and more expectant face than Fairplay’s, Brother 


Illwisher? 


7 ? 


I never did in all my life; and didn’t he give Worthy a 
great ^ send oH,’ though?” said Illwisher. 



I 


36 


Pjiilip WoimiY. 


AVhen an opportimit}' was oft'erGcl/*’ said Oblivious^ Fair- 
play arose and said that lie had some good news for them, 
which he knew would bring joy and gladness to their hearts. 
Then he proceeded to state that he had written Worthy sim- 
ply as a friend; and while taking no authority whatever upon 
himself, he just asked him, if the officers of the church should 
see ]>roper to ask him to hold a meeting for us during next 
vacation, if he could come. He said that Philip had writ- 
ten him that he would be very glad, indeed, to come and hold 
the meeting. hVnd,' said Fairplay, H just thought that I 
v'onld appear at the officers’ first meeting and report, so that 
vou could lose no time in securing: him before he was other- 
wise engaged.* When he said that, I looked over at Brother 
Illwisher and winked, and he reciprocated. When Fairplay 
had finished his speech. Brethren Cheer, Trust, and Happy 
almost shed tears of joy. Brother Cheer was the first to 
speak; and, I tell you, if he didn't give Worthy a great puff! 
Why, he had the brethren strengthened; scores, if not hun- 
dreds, converted; and. our church having a greater prestige 
tlian ever before. Yes, he anticipated a general spiritual 
u]ilift to the community. To this view Brethren Ti*iist and 
Hap]>y coincided with all their hearts. They all then made 
a long pause — I presume, to hear from us; but neither one 
of ns said a word till they were just about to proceed to call 
him, never dreaming of our opposition, not even from our 
silence (for we have taken absolutely ]io part in the meet- 
ings, exce]>t to attend them, since we have been planning 
this thing, ajid attended just to keep ourselves informed 
as to what they were doing). So our silence aroused no sus- 
]>iciou whatever in their minds; but imagine their surprise 
Avhen I told them franklv that I was not at all in favor of 
A\\)rthy for the meeting, and as quick as thought Brother 111- 


Philip Wokthy. 


37 


wisher said : ^ Xeither am I.' Idl tell you that if you ever 

\J K. 

sret into a fis’ht, you want Brother Illwisher with you; for he 
will iieYer leaYO you nor forsake you. FairnlaY was mad be- 

* t,' X 1/ 

cause Y’e objected to Worthy^ and pressed us to know the 
ground of our objection. I told him that there were oth- 
ers udio would do the church more good. Must name one/ 
said Fairplay. I told him that Brother Illwisher and I had 
talked to one especially — that is, Eev. John Dodger. When 
Fairplay heard Dodger’s name, you just ought to have seen 
and heard him. He looked almost like a maniac; and if any 
one in the world erer got a scathing, we, and especially 
Brother Dodger, did. He said that if Dodger did not repent 
from the depths of his inmost soul of his miserable, gross, 
and auJul sins, he ^vas not fit for membership in the church, 
much less fit for the pulpit. Then he denounced us for po- 
litical trickery and fraud in bringing this thing about as we 
hare; but I told him that there was no use in discussing the 
matter further, for Brother Dodger was coming, and would 
hold the meeting — if not in our house, then in some other 
house — and that they would be surprised when they learned 
that a large majority were in faYor of him. Then Brother 
Cheer said that he was surprised beyond measure; for, like 
Brother Fair])lay, he thought that ererything was perfectly 
harmonious, but that thcY would hare to* leave the results 
with the Lord. I felt a little sorrv for old Brother Cheer, 

%j y 

but 1 knew that it was no time for sentiment on our part. So 
I moved that we adjourn; and before Fairplay could inter- 
fere, Brother Illwisher said : ^ I second the motion.' Brother 
Cheer called upon Brother Happy to pronounce the benedic- 
tion, which he did; and we hurried away to keep from get- 
ting' into it again.'* 

** Good I " said Alac Smart. I know that the Lord wa- 


38 


Philip Worthy. 


witli yoii^ or you never could have succeeded so well. Xow 
lePs all sing one verse of ^ Praise God^ from whom All Bless- 
ings Flow/ which they did heartily. 

After the singing, Oblivious said : We are now in a posi- 

tion to do something, and we do not want to leave a stone un- 
turned. The meeting is to begin in two weeks. In the 
meantime we want to advertise, hold cottage prayer meetings, 
and try in every way possible to have every man, woman, and 
ciiild in the town and community not only to know that we 
are going to have a meeting, but the place of meeting, the 
tinie to begin, who is to hold the meeting, the character and 
reputation of the great evangelist, and even have them fa- 
miliar with the face of the man by seeing it in a large pic- 
ture in every prominent place in town.^^ 

To this all agreed most heartily, and they retired, to meet 
at Oblivious’ house on the following Thursday evening (this 
was Monday evening) to hear Oblivious’ report with refer- 
ence to a place for holding the meeting. Fie had volunteered 
to do that himself, as he knew that it would be unpleasant, 
if not impossible, for those less hardened. 

As has been stated. Trust, Hai>py, and F'airplay had gone 
lio]ue with Elder Cheer from the last officers’ meeting; and 
they had spent a good part of the night discussing and pray- 
ing o\ier the situation. They deplored the condition of the 
church ; but all agreed that inasmuch as they had tried to do 
their whole duty and had not intentionally turned away from 
the word of God for a single point in their teaching and prac- 
tice, they could not be responsible for tlie present condition 
of the church. All prayed that the Lord’s will, and not their 
own, might be done. 

Of course,” said Elder Cheer, they will ask for the 


Philip Worthy. 


39 


church house, and what do yoii brethren think would be the 
Lord's will concernino’ that ? 

c / 

^MVell,'^ said Fairphiy, ^Mviiowing Dodger as I do, I know 
that it is not the Lord's will for him to preach anywhere till 
he himself is converted.'^ 

But,'^ said Elder Trust, you know that Elder Oblivious 
intimated that not only a majority, but a very large majority, 
were with them, in which case they can, if they leave it to a 
vote of the members (and I am told that that is the way that 
these association preachers do and teach), take it, anyway, 
even if we do have a majority of the elders.’^ 

Yes,^^ said Elder Happy; but we will have to settle that 
just as we do everything elsei — that is, make an honest effort, 
do our duty, and leave the results with the Lord." 

To this they all agreed. 

But suppose,'' said Eairplay, ^Hhe}' should outvote us 
and take the church house from us; what would be our duty, 
to leave the church ? 

Xo, indeed,'' said Elder Cheer. do not think so; for 
the Bible noAvhere says that if the brethren do not do right 
we should leave the church, but it says the opposite, as was 
the ease with the church at Sardis. All the members of that 
church, except a few, had gone far wrong; but the faithful 
few, instead of leaving the church because the majority were 
going very wrong, remained with them and did their full 
duty, in spite of the wrongdoing of the majority. For this 
God commended them, and promised them that they should 
walk with him in white. The same blessings will come to us 
if we act upon the same principle.'^ 

Then, if 1 understand you,'’ said Elder Cheer, you all 
think that if thev ask for the church tor Dodder, it is our 
duty to object to it; that if a majority vote for him to have 


40 


Philip Worthy. 


it ami be comes^ anyway, we will not be responsible for bis 


coming. 




They all indicated that that Avas tbeir decisioig and Elder 
Cheer said: It certainlv is ]iiine, too.*' Sb, Ayith this nn- 

derstanding, they retired to aAA'ait results. 

O' c/ 

The A^ery next day (Tuesday) Oblivions came to see Elder 
Cheer (Eairplay happened to be present at the time);, and 
said : ^CVre you and the other Uvo elders aA' tiling to alloAV 
Brother Dodger to preach in our house 

Xot if Ave can help it/' said Elder Cheer. 

I knoAA^/^ said Oblivious^ that you have three elders, 
Avhile Ave have only tAvo; but Ave liaA^e a large majority of 
the members, and if you elders do not consent, Ave Avill bring 
it before the congregation, and there I knoAv that AA^e can out- 
vote you tAvo or three to one.'' 

‘‘ Yes,^^ said Elder Cheer, you can, no doubt, do that ; 
but Avbere do you get any Bible authority for settling church 
questions by a majority vote? 

Brother Cheer,^^ said Oblivious, do you not knoAv that 
every denomination in Christendom and nearly all of our 
OA\m ciin relies, and especially our preachers, settle things that 
Avav? Why, they have made the annual resignation and elec- 
tion of officers almost the universal rule; and by so doing, 
if they haA^e an objectionable elder or deacon, by having all 
to resign, if they Avill manage it just right, in the neAv elec- 
tion they can leave the objectionable ones out.^^ 

. Yes,^^ said Eairplay, I have heard all that; but it is 
almost incredible. Having the officers to resign for -the 
a\'OAV('d purpose of getting rid of the objectionable ones is as 
political and Avorldly as dissolving Parliament for the same 
])ur])ose, and any man or men Avho Avould adopt or in any 
Avay sanction such an unscriptural metbod are just as objec- 


Philip Worthy. 


41 


tioiiable- as those wliom they thereh}' get rid of can iiossi- 
hly he." 

I was not talking to yon, Fairplay,'^ said Oblivions. 

Yon are always in the wrong place and speak at the wrong 
time. I did not know that yon were here, or I should have 
waited till von were gone.^^ 

I know/^ said Fairplay, that you and those in sympa- 
thy with yonr way of Avorking Avonld sink me and every other 
man into oblivion Avho dares to pnnctnre vonr Avorldlv and 
Avicked Avind bags — these ^ pastors/ as they call themselves, 
although some of them are nothing but young men and can- 
not control themselves, much less the church of God. Yet 
they not only Avant to (and do, after their OAvn fashion) 
rule the entire congregation — elders, deacons, and all — for 
Avhich they preach; but bv this Satanic system of the annual 
resignation of the officers, Avhich results in leaving those 
opposed to them out, some of them have never given the 
churches an opportunity to say Avhether they desired to re- 
engage them since their first call; and then the}^ boast and 
gloat in the papers — East,AVest, Yorth, and South — over their 
long pastorates, Avhen some of them at least know that at the 
same time a large per cent of their members are trying every 
year to devise some means to get rid of them, and that many, 
on account of failing to get rid of them, do not attend at all, 
1)11 1 go to other churches of Christ in the toAvn or to the sec- 
tarian churches. That is not the Avorst of all yet; for if 
these young felloAvs, and some Avho are not so young, through 
missionary machineiw, happen to be lifted up into official 
positions, then they actually ^ lord it over ‘ the elders, not 
only of the congregations for AAdiich they preach, but of the 
('utii’e district over Avhich they preside; and Avoe betide any 
(‘Ider or congregation who objects to any of their mission- 


42 


Philip Worthy. 


arv plans or refuses to work through their missionary 
societies ! If such congregations pay four times as much 
for home and foreign missions as their own congregations, 
even if they support missionaries at home and abroad, still 
they are denounced as ^ antimissionary.' This they know to 


be a falsehood, upon which the wicked one himself could not 
improve. '' 

1 will not listen to such a tirade of abuse any longer,’* 
said Oblivious. I am going, and we will all be at church 
Sunday to settle the question.” 

You ought to have had the decency not to come,” said 


Fairjilay. 

Shut up ! ” said Oblivious ; and out he went. 

When Oblivious had gone. Elder Cheer said: Brother 

Fairi)lav, every word you sav is true, but awfully cuttina’ — 
so much so that it may do them no good.'’ 

That is so,” said Fairplay; but it will do them no good 
to let them go on in this way, and I am determined to expose 
them at every opportunity.” 

^^dlen Lord's day came, there never was so larae an an- 


dience present. There were members there who had not been 
in the house for years — indeed, some who had been away so 
long that their names had actually been dropped from the 
church books. Besides, there were quite a number there to 
vote that day who had left them and joined the denomina- 
tional churches in the town (there were three at that time). 
Their preachers had agreed to this in order to get rid of the 
so-called “ anti " element in the church ; for they shunned 
not to declare the Avhole counsel of God," which necessa- 
rily exposed their denominational errors. 'They knew that 
Dodger and those in favor with him would su})])ress a part 
of the truth for the sake of the good will of the sectarians. 


Philip Worthy. 


43 


For this reason they were willing for the inembers who had 
come from this church to go back now and vote, or even take 
memhership again^ rather than miss the liberal impression 
that they knew Dodger’s preaching would make. They had 
all offered their houses in case they eonld not get their own. 

After the nsnal order of worship, Oblivions went to Elder 
Cheer and said : Will yon make the statement and pnt the 

vote ? ” 


. Xo/’ said Elder Cheer, I do not think that that is the 
way prescribed in the Bible to do the Lord’s work; therefore 
I cannot conscientionsly have anything to do with it.” 
Oblivions then went to Elders Trust and Happy, who said 
about the same thing. Then, turning to the great audience, 
he said: We have met to-day for the purpose of deciding 

whether we will allow Eev. Dodger to hold his great meeting 
in this house, beginning next Sunday week. Elder Illwisher 
and I are most heartily in favor of it; but Elders Cheer, 
Trust, and Happy are as much opposed to it as we are in 
favor of it. So we are compelled to call upon the congre- 
gation to decide it for us. Xow, is there a motion to let him 
have this house in which to hold the meeting ? ” 

As quick as thought, Alac Smart was on his feet, and said : 
]\Ir. Chairman, I move you, sir, that Eev. Dodger be per- 
mitted to hold the meeting in this house, beginning next 
Sunday week.” 

I second the motion,” said young Miss Eeckless. 

You have heard the motion,” said Oblivious. ^C\re there 
any remarks ? ” 

James Eairplay then arose and said: ^^Yes; I have some 
remarks to make. If this congregation were the most rotten 
of the rotten political machines, then I would not be sur- 
prised at this or anything else; but to reconcile this action 


44 


rillLTP AVOKTIIY. 


with the spirit and genius of Christianity is an utter impos- 
sibility. In the first place^ these elders. Oblivious and 111 - 
Avisher^ have appropriate names; for they certainly are as 
oblivions and ill Avishing to everything that is right and just 
and holy and good as any tAvo men I ever sa,AV. This coun- 
try has never produced a politician Avho stooped to loAver and 
m.eaiier trickery than you have in bringing about the pres- 
ent condition of things. Dodger^ the man Avhom they have 
selected to hold this meeting and Avith Avhom they have al- 
ready agreed, Avithout cwen saving a Avord to the other elders, 
also has an appropriate name; for if tiiere ever Avas a man 
Avho at least tries to dodge every truth that interferes AAuth 
his schemes in any Avav, it certainly is Dodger. He fears 
neither God nor man. In his Avhole life he dishonors God, 
defies Heaven^ and plunges into just any sin — even to mis- 
imer})reting, misapplying, adding to^ or taking from the Avord 
of God — Avhen necessary to carry out his iniquitous pur- 
])Oses.‘' 

C\ll hail the poAver of Jesus’ name;' " said Alac Smart; 
and apparently the whole congregation joined in. When 
they concluded one verse, they stopped. 

Janies Fairplay continued: *'Xow that is exactly Avhat I 
haAX‘ been trying to prove to you that they AAvmld do if they 
only had an opportunity; but they have illustrated it a great 

d(‘al lietter than 1 could tell it, and — " 

♦ .... - . ■ 

“ Shall AA^e sing the second verse? " said Smarts interrupt- 
ing Fairplay. 

/ 

Just as they closed the second verse. Oblivious said: ‘‘All 
in favor of the motion Avdll'let it lie known bv standing." 

If it had not been -knoAvn from what had transpired before 
that the three elders and Fairplay Avould not vote Avith them, 


PitiLip Worthy. 


45 


one would have thought that a*ll had voted; but these, to- 
srether with a very few others, did not vote. 

When the negative was called for, no one stood up. 

That settles it,'* said Oblivious. 

Yes, that settles it,'’ said Fairplay; and — ” 


u 


Shall we sing the third verse?” said Smart, interrupt- 
ing Fairplay again. 

Oblivious, seeing that there was no chance to do any fur- 
ther business while Fairjilay Avas present, Avas pretty Avell 
along AAuth the benediction Avhen they finished the third verse ; 
and AAdien he Avas done, they all Avent right out and to tiieir 
homes, leaving the feAv opposers to themselves. They all 
decided then and there that they Avould attend upon the serv- 
ices just the same, participate in those filings only that tliey 
thought Avere right, and at. the same time reserve to them- 
selves the right to protest, in the proper spirit, against every- 
thing that Avas unscriptural. This right Fairplay prized 
very highly, and he made good use of it so often and in such 
a telling way during the meeting and after that the church 
voluntarily granted him and those Avho sympathized Avitli iiiiu 
letters of dismissal in order to get rid of them; but still they 
all attended, Avith all possible regularity, to the great dis- 
satisfaction and annoyance of the others. 

%j 

After the decision to extend the house to Dodger, Oblivious 
and IllAATsher AAnre the center of as busy a beehive of Avork- 
ers as Avere ever seen, getting ready for their meeting. There 
never Avas a tOAvn more thoroughly billed or a meeting more 
thoroughly announced than this one. When Dodger came, 
he proved to bo all that they had represented him to be. The 
iniiiisters of the three churches almost dispensed Avith their 
own services entirely and urged all their people to attend 
the revival meeting, and they themselves attended and as- 

> tj 


46 


Philip Worthy. 


si steel in every way they could; and not one of them lost a 
membeiy for the reason that Dodger dodged all controverted 
passages of scripture and everything that was calculated to 
make inroads upon sectarianism. By all combining and 
workings they had what they all called a good meeting.’^ 

At the close of the meeting they engaged Dodger as pas- 
tor — the first preacher-pastor they had ever had. Then it 
was announced in the papers far and near that the church 
was now in line with the brotherhood; that they had just 
organized all the regular societies; and that they were now 
ready to respond to all the demands made hy the various mis- 
sionary societies.. Congratulations were sent in by every as- 
sociation preacher. 




Philip Worthy. 



0 


CHAPTER V. 


(( 


u 


At the next ministerial ineetino’ all were lend and Iona' in 

o o 

their praise of those who had made possible the change in 
the order of things at Conway^ especially of John Dodger. 
He was then called upon to tell the association jnst liow the 
apparently impossible task was accomplished. He liegan at 
the very beginning and told it all^ for the association would 
receive nothing less. Said he : Elders (3blivions and Ill- 

wisher came to see me about whether anything conld be done ; 
and if so^ how? I told them that it conld be done and pro- 
ceeded to tell them how. I told them ’that we had voihir: 
Sister Inroad in onr congregation ; yon all know her.^^ 

Yes, indeed/^ said all present. 

AVell, I said she was one of the most indefatigable society 
workers yon ever saw; in fact, the regular societies are not 
snthcient for her in her work. She nses them all; and, in 
addition, she has an extra way or two of working what yon 
might call ^ societies.^ I told them that we would call and 
see her, state the situation, and tell her exactly what yon 
want; and we can, throngh her, bring it about. When we 
laid the matter before her, she said : ^ Eev. Dodger, with yonr 
permission, I will attend their services next Sabbath.’ h\ll 
right,’ said I. So the next Sunday she went to Conway 
where Brother Oblivions entertained her. She attended the 
Bible school (they had no Sunday-school literature), and she 
said : ^ I had to sit and listen to that old, illiterate Eldei 
Cheer and others who are as illiterate as he is chew the 

t 

rag” for an hour. That was not all; for the same old men 


48 


Philip Worthy 


proceeded to speak to the edification of the church/’ as 
they called it, for almost another hour, after which they had 
the commimion service; and, I tell yon, we were all tired 
by that time. During all this long, dry, and most tedious 
service I was watching the young people; and among them 
I saw one vonng ladv who seemed more indifferent and rest- 
less than others. After the services were all over, I went to 
her and asked her if that was the way in which they con- 
ducted all their services. A^es,’’ said she, and they never 
have any change or variety. Sometimes I just get so tired 
that I can hardly live.” I asked : Have yon no young peo- 

ple's meeting?” ATo,” she said; ^Ave have nothing except 
what you have seen here to-day, and I do not see why there 
would be any harm in having a change occasionally.” I 
knew that 1 had found the one through whom I was to be- 


gin the Herculean task. So I asked Sister Outgo (that was 
the restless young lady’s name) if she could not attend our 
services the next Sabbath. She said : I certainly would like 

to, and think that perhaps I can.” So when I appeared at 
Sunday school the next time, whom should I see, the very 


first one, but Sister Outgo? 1 gave her just as cordial a 
welcome as one ever received anywhere, and introdueeH her 
to many young ladies and gentlemen, which she appeared to 
appreciate very innch; for it was something of which they 
had very little at home. Then, it would have done your souls 
good to have seeii her when the great organ prelude started, 
for you could just see that it thrilled her through and 
through. Thev had. no instrumental music of anv kind in 
her home church. Then, when tlie march .started and the 
^■arious classes filed out to their places, she was so interested 


that she stood to one side tliat she might watch them. She 


Riid it was the grandest sight that she ever saw. After the 


Philip Worthy. 


49 


.Sunday school^ Pen'. Dodger preaclied a beautiful -and iiiost 
nuignifieent thirty-minute discourse upon the theme The 
D^sthetie in Peligion/^ and presided at the Lord's table 1dm- 
self. After very brief and well-chosen remarks, he offered 
thanks for both bread and wine at the same time and had 
both passed at once. Sister Outgo said : It certainly was 

the shortest and sweetest service that I ever attended.^^ She 
went home with me^ and she could scarcely talk about any- 
thing else but the Sunday school and forenoon service. That 
evening we attended the Young People's Society of Christian 


Endeavor: and as I was to preside^.! whispered around to 
the most active members before the meeting that we wanted 
to have more snap and spirit in our meeting than com- 
mon on Sister Outgo's account; and I must say that I never 
attended a more enthusiastic meeting in my life. Some- 
times there would be three or four on the floor at one time^ 
all wanting to talk. The meeting following the young peo- 
ple's meeting v'as fully up to the standard. The next morn- 
ings when Sister Outgo started homes she said : I never en- 


ioved a dav so much in all mv life ; and if we cannot bring 
about a. change in our prosy services at homes I 
'coming here when I attend anywhere.” Xo's” said I; yon 
need not attend here. Whiles of courses we would all be so 
ii'lad to have vou attend here, still 1 think that von can do 
more good right where you are. If you will do as I sa}g you 
can soon have the same services at home, and I will tell vou 

V 

how it can be done. You make strict coniidants of Elders 


Oblivious and 111 wisher. Thev came to see Pev. Doditer with 

%j 

referc'nce to this matters aud the three came to see me; and 
that private conference resulted in my having attended upon 
your services last Sunday. Xow you know your young peo- 
ple upon whom your services are the most wearing. You ap- 


50 


Philip Wokthy. 


t 


proaeli these one at a tiine^ and^ without suggesting a ehange, 
remark to them that somehow you l)ecome very tired before 
the services are oveiy and that^ while you do not see Just how 
it can be done, vet if the services could be changed or short- 
ened without doing violence to the law of the Lord^ you would 
]iot become so tired. Do not say that you would enjoy the 
services better; for if the one with whom you are talking 


does not happen to be in sympathy with yoig he might sus- 
picion you. If you simply say that we would not become 
so tired^ and he agrees with you^ he will be very apt to say so; 
and if he expresses himself heartily^ you might then ask him 
casually if he has ever attended services here. If he says 
that he has not^ then you can say to him that you have and 
that things were so different from your services. Without 
telling him how you liked the services^ Just say to him that 
if he ever happens to be here on Sunday he should attend 
our services. I will watch for hing make it pleasant for 
him; and if he is as favorably impressed as you have l>een, 
I will make a confidant of him and tell him about what I 


have told vou.^^ Thus one after another was induced to at- 
tend our services^ every one of whom was impressed about as 
Miss Outgo was; and with Et?v. Dodger’s consent, we went 
to their place one or two at a time; and while their services 
bored us nearly to death, we never let it ]>e known but what 
we enjoyed them immensely. Thus the young people of the 
two churches becajiie very well acquainted. Xo doubt those 
old ])rethren thought when they saw so many of us attend 
their services from time to time that we were greatly im- 
pressed with their services and that everything was coming 
tlieir way. While none of us were sworn, yet our promises 
of secrecy were so positive that they were akin to an oath; 
and be it said to the everlasting praise of the members tliere 


Philip Worthy. 


51 


i£ 


(( 


a 


and here that not one of them ever divnlo’ed tlie secret. 
Hence the complete surprise to the very few who remained.’ 
Xow^ brethren,” said Dodger, that is the wav that it was 
accomplished.” 

Amen, amen! *' slionted almost all tlie preachers at once. 
I admit that it does not look exactly right,*’ said Dodger. 
It looks a little nndermining; l)nt, brethren, what else 
could we do ? ** 

Xothing, nothing: you did right,** responded a chorus 
of voices. 

We thonght it was l>etter to waive the appearance of the 
thing than to just let that congregation remain lost to the 
brotherhood,” said Dodger. We were disappointed in but 
one thing — that is, we thought that those Dinti ’ iirethren 
would go out when we introduced tlie new order of things. 

f 

and especially James Fairplay; hut — bless your souls! — I do 

not think that one of them has ever missed a service since.” 

0 

Too bad, too bad ! God hel}) ! *’ was heard all over the 
house. 

^k\nd James Fairplay, who is their ringleader,” continued 

Dodger, has made it so hot for us that we had to present 

• • 

him and all the rest with letters of dismissal ; for we could not 
introdnee or sav a single thing for which there was not a 
plain precept or example in the Xew Testament but what 
Fairplay, with the manifest sanction of all the others, was 
ottering objections and calling for scripture authority. So 
it became so intolerable that we called a meeting and decided 
to present them with letters of dismissal, but still they came 
as regularly as ever. Fairplay even calls for scripture pre- 
ce})t or example for sending them letters of dismissal, and 
(piotes tlie scripture where they were told to go — one, then 
one with one or two more; then if they would not liear, to tell 


52 


PiLiLip Worthy. 


it to the church, etc. We knew that the scripture read that 
wav as well as he did; but we knew also that to ito to them 
siinply meant a controversv, and that they would never yields 
because they happened to have the Scriptures on their side. 
So we decided to just go oip do the best we could, and leave 
the results with the Lord.’^ 

Then Eev. (?) Walker arose and 'said: Brother Dodger 

has done a wonderful work at Conwav. While the worjc 
was not rpiite so complete as Ave would have liked, in that 
the ^ antis ^ did not go out, yet he has given them some hard 
knocks; and I do not believe that there is a man in the hrotli- 
erhood Avho could have done so much for that congreu’ation 


as he has. I, for one, think that this case should be Avritten 
up and printed, and that a copy of the same be sent to every 
progressive congregation, if not to every member of sucli 
congregation, in the United States, so that Avdien a similar 
Avork is needed anvAvhere they Avill knoAV exactly for Avhom to 
se]id— -that is, John Dodger; and if at any time the com- 
munity becomes too much doAvn on him for the unscrupulous 
methods that he adopts in bringing about the changes, Ave 
Avill all be on the lookout for a new field for him, so that he 
can resign at any time he feels that things are getting too 
hot for him. Yes, I Avill put it stronger than that : I am 
in favor of his resigning Avhen things get too hot or his Avork 
fails to boom as at first, even if he has no, field to Avhich he 
can go at once, and being supported b}^ contributions from the 
various churches till a field does open wp for him. In the 
meaiitime he could be Avriting and putting his schemes in 
form, so that they can be used Avhere he cannot be in per- 
son or after he is dead and gone.” 


Eev. (?) Talket Ava,s the next to arise. He said : I am 

heartilv in favor of all that Brother AValkei* has said. I. do 


Pjiilip Worthy. 


53 


]iot apprehend^ however, tluit Brother Dodger will ever 
lack employment; for I tldnk thaf, in the liglit of the 
fact that tliere are so manv ‘ anti ’ chnrehes all over the 
country tliat ought to be brouglit in line with the brotb- 
erliood and in the liglit of the fact that through such a man 


as Bev. Dodger it is so much easier to capture an ^ anti ^ con- 
gregation tlian to establish a new one^ he will be in such 
demand for this work that he will have but little time for 
anything else. 1 hope, hoAvever^ that he may be able to re- 
main at Comvav long enough to kick those antis ^ entirelv 
out there." 


Ui^v. ( ? ) Jiusher was the next speaker, and deposed as 
follow's : ‘‘ The brethren Avho lun'e preceded me are exactly 
right. It takes many a knocks kick^ and cutf to bring some 


^ antis ' into line^ and I knoAv that llev. Dodger is the most 
gifted man in this Avork that there is in the Avorld. His Avork 
in his chosen field seems almost phenomenal. So I move yon, 
Mr. Chairmaiy that the Conway case be Avritten up^ printed, 
and circnlated, as suggested by Brother Walker. 

Is there a second to this motion? asked the chairman, 
second the motion/^ said Brother Tody; for he Avas 
afraid he Avoid d be suspicion ed if he did not take some part. 
You have heard the motion/' said the chairman. *‘Are 


there anv remarks? '' 

(hmstion ! ‘‘ (hicstion ! was upon the tongue of almost 

everv one. 

^hVll in favor of the motion as stated Avill please rise/^ 
said the chairman; and Avith one mighty SAveep all stood. 

I'bey then concluded Avith an appropriate song and bene- 
diction; and all Avent aAvay feeling that it Avas the best^ most 
spiritual^ and most profitable session in the history of tbeir 
association. 


54 


Philip Worthy. 


CHAPTER VI. 


James Fairplay said to the three elders who were opposed 
to the way things had gone : I have not given np yet. I 

haA'e decided that the preachers in this part are but intel- 
lect nal and spiritnal pigmies and do not represent the preach- 
ers of onr brotherhood at all. The next time I will go clear 
beyond their influence^ and there I will expose their mean- 
ness in a way that they will never forget. I shall next ask 

« 

a place for Philip Worthy on the programme of the State 
convention ; and I know that when the popgTin ^ preachers 
of this part see Philip’s name on that programme, and espe- 
ciallv when thev re^ad the great address that he shall deliver 
there^ — in the })apers, or possibly in tract form, as ordered 
by the enthusiastic convention — they will feel very small 
for having refused him a place on their little ministerial as- 
sociation p rogr a m me. ” 

The elders said thev did not know what he conld do. 


Fairplay wrote his friend and brother. Worthy, about what 
an awful time he had had about the meeting and how com- 
pletely he had been defeated. He also mentioned his sore 
disappointment and utter astonisliment that the preachers 
had so much intiuence in the congregation at Conwav, when 
not one of them had ever preached there. 

Idiili]) smiled when he read the letter, and thought : Well, 

Friend Fairplay, you do not understand the preachers and 
the working of the conventions as well as I do." He wrote 
F'airplay, however, that he thanked him as kindly for his 
friendlv and zealous effort as if he had succeeded well, and 


Philip ^A^OKTHY.. 


55 


that he hoped to see him and be with him some time in the 
future — if not there, tiien elsewhere. 

It was now nine months till the next State convention. 
So Fairplay thought that he would take time by the fore- 
lock and put Philip’s bid for a place on the programme thus 
early, so as to avoid the pretended trouble at Conway — 
that is, of having the programme already made ont. He 
thought it would be more satisfactorv all round to go in 
person, for he thought he would not have the thing to mis- 
carry for anything reasonable. 

Fairplay went and called upon Henry Trusty, the State 
secretary, and said : Brother Trusty, I do love the cause of 

Christ. I cannot do as much for the cause as some men, and 
there are some features of the church work that I cannot 
perform at all ; so I have to do what I can the best I can and 
leave the rest for others. In many instances I feel that I 
can accomplish much more through, or by enlisting, others 
than I can by making the effort myself. Especially do I 
feel and know that this is true in the case I am about to 
propose. I know that you brethren are exceedingly anxious 
to ]uake the programmes of your State conventions as at- 
tractive, and at the same time as edifying, as you possibly 
can. Having, as you do, present at these conventions, at 
such a select and popular place, the brightest and most in- 
tellectual of all denominations and of no denomination, vou 
will necessarily have to have the most able, scholarly, and 
influential among us on the programme in order to meet the 
demand. 


u 


Exactly so,’’ said Trusty. 

Well,” said Fairplay, ‘H have a name to suggest; and 
if you will place it upon your programme, I promise you 
that vour next convention will be the best one ever held in 


Philip Wopthy. 



the State. On account of the presence of him whose name 
I am aliont to meiition, you will see manv there who never 
attended a eoiiYention before. He is one of the finest schol- 
ars, most eloquent speakers, and one of the best men this coun- 
try has ever produced ; and I am certain that many would 
come hundreds of miles to hear him. I refer to that -emi- 
nent literary and Bible scholar, preacher, and educator at 
Outway, Philip Worthy. 

Fairplay never thought once but that Trusty would be in 
ecstasies at the bare thought of procuring such a name for 
the convention programme; hence he had become veiw warni 
and eloquent in his references to Worthy’s ability and char- 
acter; and it was like hitting him between the eyes with a 
limestone rodv or oyer the head with a two-handed, seasoned 
elm club Avhen Trusty said, without any apparent interest 
and absolutely no enthusiasm : W-e-1-1, I think the pro- 

gramme is already provided for.” 


‘‘’What?” said Fairplay. The programme provided for 
nine months before the convention! I do not believe it. 
That is wliat your Eev. Dodger,’ as you call him, said about 
the programme at Conway a year or two ago. I believed 
him at the time, but later I was convinced beyond the pos- 
sibility of a doubt that it was not so; and for you to sa}^ that 
the ])rogramme for the State convention nine months hence 
is alreadv made out — I do ]iot believe a word of it, and will 

t.' y 

not believe it till the testimony becomes simply overwhelm- 


ing, 


1 would like to know vdiat you have to do with it,” said 
Trustv. 


1 would like to kjiow Avhat i/on have to do with it,” said 
Fairplay; ‘Sind 1 want to know,, further, how it is that you 


riiiLip Worthy. 


D/ 


RR'ii have never heard of Philip Wortliy and have never had 
him on any of your programmes.'’ 

“ Tliank von, sir! ” said Triistv. have heard of him 

and know all about him, and for that verv reason we have 
]ievca- had him on any of our programmes ; and if you do 
, not let up, I will tell vou some thim>*s about AVortliv that will 
make your ears tingle.” 

' I know all about him myself/’ said Fairplay. I know 
that, there is not a stain upon his life or character; he is pure 
[fold; and no man can say aught against him without speak- 
ino- falselv.” 

o V - 

Then you had as well prepare for the worst/’ said Trusty, 
‘‘ for you have compelled me to tell all. You seem to think 
that we had never heard of AA'orthy. AA Iny he is this ^ anti ’ 
man who is trying to hold forth away up at Outway. He 
thought that he could get awav off out there, where he could 
just keep those good people in ignorance^ and thereby make 
himself Chief Mogul among thein^ without let or hindrance. 
His people up there, because of his anti ’ methods of do- 
ings everything, are completely lost to the brotherhood. To 
put such a man. on our progranmies is too ridiculous to talk 
about. AAY will not only refuse to give him such promi- 
nence, l)ut will interfere with every attempt that he makes 
bevond the limits of Outwav; and we even have our agencies 
at wo]*k to, if possible, dislodge him at Outway.” 

"" man! '’ said Fairplay. C\nti ’ what? Tell me 

what vou mean.” 

’“Cl mean Anitimissionanj ; ' that is what I mean,” said. 
'1'i‘iistv. 

If you were to say that east is west or black is white, you 
would be as near to the truth,'’ said Flairplay. There 
]iever Avas a baser falsehood told, and vou know it. CVnti ’ 


58 


Ppiilip Worthy. 


missionary ! At the same time four or five strong missions 
liave been established^ with good bouses of Avorsbip and from 
one Imndred and fifty to three hundred and fifty members 
in eaeh^ in his home city; missions in the towns, villages, and 
country places around; besides sustaining four or five mis- 
sionaries at home and two or three in foreign fields. In ad- 
dition to all this, he has established a school from which 
young men, prepared for the ministry, are going out every 
year. He is doing ten times more work and raising more 
money for missionary purposes than any man in the broth- 
erhood, and you call him ^ antimissionary I ^ It’s false ! It’s 
a miserable, gross, and an awful falsehood ! If you die with 
this awful sin upon you and the devil doesnh get you, 1 
don’t see any use in having a devil.” 

You talk and act like a demon in human form,” said 
Trusty. 

spit’s a compliment,” said Fairplay, ^‘’ coming, as it does, 
from you, sir; for you say just as hard things about Philip 
Worthy, whose character and life work are above reproach. 
You speak of knowing all about Worthy and of having your 
agencies at work to dislodge him at Outway. Who is your 
informant, and who are your agencies ? ” 

I should not tell you, were it not with a faint hope of get- 
ting rid of you,” said Trusty: ‘^Because Worthy is not in 
good standing with the brethren, for he never attends the 
conventions or preachers’ meetings; his church is out of line 
with the brotherhood, for it never sends anv missionarv 
monev through the missionarv societies. For these i^ood and 

vlJ c_> 

sutlicient reasons we are determined to dislodge him, if we 
possibly can; and by so doing, Ave verily believe that Ave Avill 
be doing God the inost efficient service })Ossible. As to our 
agencies, Pev. John Dodger, of your oavu congregation, and 


0 


Philip Worthy. 



young Sister Inroad^ of Rev. Dodgers former place of preach- 
ings are our leaders^ besides many others; in fact, we all do 
what we can.’' 

I now begin to see through the whole things” said F air- 
plays calmly. I thought I would come away off up here, 

where I would be entirely from under the influence of John 


Dodgers that ^ wolf in sheep’s clothings’ if there ever was one ; 
but noWs for the first times I begin to see that this is an or- 
ganized and perfectly systematized businesSs and that you 
are in close touch and intimate communication with Dodgeiy 
Mi ss Inroad, and every other emissary of the wicked one 
in this State. You now talk of doing God efficient service 
through Dodger and others. You are in a position to do the 
devil most efficient service. I thought when you said AVorthv 
was ]iot in good standing with his brethrens hi& church was 
out of line with the brotherhoods etc.s language 

sounded familiar — that 1 had heard it somewhere. It was 
all clear when von mentioned Dodger's name. That is the 
rotten argument that he offered for not letting Worthy’s name 
appear on the ministerial programme. XoaVs before I gOs I 
want to say to you, with reference to your ^ State board,’ as 


you call it, that, as such, you have not one single 'syllable of 
Xew Testament authority for anything that you dOs or even 
for .your existence. Yet you arrogate to yourselves the pre- 
rogative of sitting in Judgment over your preaching breth- 
reiis lifting up and putting down whom you will; aiwl I have 
no doubt in my mind — oiy at leasts I Avould not put it lie- 
yond you to ask every preacher entering tlie State to deposit 


liis credentials with the State secretary or to hand liiin a 

t. 

card with a number of questions for him to answer; and if 
be failed to either deposit his credentials or answer the ques- 
tionSs his name would be put down on a ^ black lists’ 


()0 


Philip' Wopthy. 


speak, and all the secretaries in the United States l^e notified 
of the fact^ so that' he ^vonld have to conie to time or do with- 
out a pnlpit. Yon arrogate to yourselves the prerogative 
of lording it over ^ the elders of all the congregations in 
the State^ to set the ^ anti ^ (inissionaiy society) churches 
in order — ^ bring them in line with the brotherhood/ as you 
say, which, being interpreted, means to compel them to work 
through your man-made societies. Again, you encourage 
the people over the State to pay their money, into tlie State 
ti'easury, to be expended by installments of, say, ten dollars 
a month to each weak church to assist in paying the salary 
of the preacher. You then arrogate to yourselves the pre- 
rogative of virtually naming the preachers for the fields as- 
sisted ; and when accused of it, you look as wise and say : 
Wh}', of course. The money is intrusted to us, and we are 
responsible for the men who do the preaching.’ Thus you 

• 

have virtually destroyed the independence of such congrega- 
tions, till if a preacher — however able and reputable he may 
be — offers his services, even if the congregation is now able 
to pay his salary without the assistance of the board, he is 
not engaged till the congregation has conferred with the 
board. It makes no difference whence he comes or whither 
he goes, the State board, through a system of intercommuni- 
cation of all the State secretaries, knows all about him; and 
woe betide the preacher who has ever lifted his voice against 
the State board’s system of doing things or has in any way 
aroused the siispieion of even one member of it ! If the 
preacher has aroused suspicion, the said member communi- 
cates the same to the other members ot the board: and, 
through their secretaiy, the secretaries of all other State 
boards are notified, and they all place his name on their 
^ black lists.’ ” 


Philip Worthy. 


61 


Of course/^ said Tmsty. If the secretaries do not look 
after these things, who will? Unworthy preachers Avonld 
come in and impose upon the weaker churches. BesirJes, we 
are the only men who are in a position to inform ourselves 
thoroughly with reference to the character and standing of 
the preachers all over the country; and while we do not com- 
pel them to deposit their credentials with the secretaries, yet 
we do, in some States, present them with a card, with a list 
of questions to answer, in order, as I have said, to keep de- 
signing and unworthy preachers from imposing upon the 
weaker churches. 

I wonder,^^ said Fairplay, what the Lord thinks of such 
arrogance. Here you are — but young men, many of you ; 
and some of you are wliolly incapable of controlling your- 
selves, much less a church of God. Yet, without a svlla- 

y y xj 

ble of scripture for the positions you occupy, you presume 
to have the care and oversight of, and are responsible for, 
all the churches. Can you imagine anything more God-dis- 
honoring and Heaven-defying? You talk of saving the weak 
churches from unwoidhy preachers. I want to tell you ]iow 
that the churches will never fall into worse hands than your 
own; for you have absolutely no respect for the law of the 
Lord and will, vdthout any • authority whatever, proceed to 
adopt a worldly system which has laid many faithful, de- 
voted, and conscientious preachers of the gospel upon the 
shelf just at the age when, on account of their ripe scholar- 
ship, experience, and mature judgment, they were the safest 
leaders possible. Thus you rob God of many of the richest 
years of these men’s services. And why? Simply because 
they are too conscientious to indorse your worldly schemes 
for carrying on the Lord’s work. Your very schemes that 
lay the most conscientious men upon the shelf have made 



62 


Philip Worthy. 


places for^ and called to the front and prominent places, the 
scheming, designing men who apparentlY have no heart or 
conscience upon the subject. It is position and salary they 
are after; and having no conscience on the subject, they can 
subscribe to just anything or adopt any scheme suggested/’ 
You talk of our ^ lording it over ’ God’s heritage,” said 
Trustv ; but vou want to ^ lord it over ’ us, which is the 
same principle.” 

I want to do nothing of the kind,” said Fairplay. 1 
simply asked you to give one of the best (if not the best) men 
in our brotherhood, as well as the most able, a place on one of 
your programmes. Then talk of my wanting to lord it 
over ’ the State board ! I never did oppose the State boards. 
I siinplv wondered whv such men as tVorthv never attended 
the conventions or ^ were not members of the boards from 
time to time and whv so inanv able and good men were laid 
upon the shelf — and that, too, at their most useful time of 
life. It is all plain now; I understand it all. It is simply 
because their conscience will not allow them to attend. Men 
are laid upon the shelf because they have, through their 
devotion to the word of God, dared to object to your unscri])- 
tural methods. I will be compelled to go back home heart 
and hand, soul and body, life and spirit against State boards.” 
Oppose all you please,” said Trusty. The boards are 
here, and they are here to stay.” 

‘GXot with. my consent,” said Fairplay; and he started 
for home. 

Upon Fairplay’s return, he called Elders Cheer, Trust, and 
Happy together, and they spent hours talking over the sit- 
uation. 

Fairplay gave his experience with the State secretary. 

Why,” said he, did you know that that secretary and the 


Philip Worthy. 


63 


State board, through the secretary, know as much about us 
and our work here as we do? Well, they do. They also 
know as ,inuch about Philip Worthy and his work as we do. 
I pressed him so hard that finally he told how he found it 
out — that is, through John Dodger, Miss Inroad, and oth- 
ers. DonT you think that he talks of Wouthy and his work 
exactly as Dodger does? In fact, if there had not been 
any difference in the tone of voice and I could not have seen 
the man, I would have testified on oath that it was Dodger 
talking. Of course I thought they knew nothing about Philip 
Worthy ; otherwise they would have had him on their pro- 
grammes long ago; but imagine my surprise when he re- 
ferred to Philip as that anti ^ man trying to hold forth away 

« 

up there at Outway. He did not stop at that, but went on to 
say that Philip thought he would get away off out there, 
where he would not be interfered with, where he could keep 
those people in ignorance, and thereby make himself Chief 
Mogul. He said, further, that they not only knew all about 
Worthy and his work, but that they had agencies at work to 
dislodge him at Outwav. Had their agencies ! J ust think 

O xj o 

of it ! IVlien I pressed him so hard that he just had to tell 
me who their agencies were, he said they were Eev. Dodger, 
Miss Inroad, and others. Kow, brethren, you know my weak- 
ness. When he said that, I was righteously indignant; and, 

, I tell you, I took it olf that secretary in fieaks as broad as 
your two hands. At that point both of my eyes flew wide 
open to the entire situation. I proceeded to accuse them 
of almost everything mean I could think of; and I poured 
it into him so thick and fast and pressed hini so hard that, 
in his confusion and insane madness, he not onlv admitted 
all, but tried to justify their positions. For instance, (1) I 
accused them of taking advantage^ of the fact, that .they 


64 


Philip Worthy. 


paid ten dollars a month on various salaries in the weaker 
churches and named the preachers for such places, and there- 
by destroyed the independence of the congregations, till they 
could not, or would not, engage any man till they had con- 
ferred with the State board. He admitted it, and said, in 
great surprise : Why not ? • The churches have intrusted 

this money to us, and we feel responsible for the men who 
receive it.^ ( 2 ) I accused them of being in communication 
Avith all the State secretaries in the United States ; that 
they had a system of ^ blacklisting ^ all those avIio objected 
to anything they were doing or in any Avay aroused the sus- 
picion of a single member of a single board in the United 
States, for that member of the board Avould communicate 
Ids suspicion to the other members of the board, and, through 
their secretary, they would communicate it to all the other 
secretaries, and he Avould at once be ^ blacklisted ^ through- 
out the United States, and, Avhatever his ability or character, 
he could not get work if the boards could help it; and that 
thus many able men were put on the shelf long before their 
Avork Avas done. He admitted it, and insisted that that Avas 
the only Avay that they could save the Aveak churches from 
uiiAvorthy preachers. ( 3 ) I accused them of requesting every 
preacher Avho entered the State to deposit his credentials Avith 
the State secretary or presenting him Avitli a list of ‘ques- 
tions to ansAver; and if he refused to do either, they Avould 
put his name oii the ^ black list ^ and comniunicate the fact 
to all the secretaries in the United States. He admitted that 
Avhile it Ava,s not the universal rule among them — and, indeed, 
that they compelled none to do either — yet it AA^as the custom 
of some State boards to request it. Xoaa", 1 have spoken to 
3^011 at length, that you nui}^- laiow that there is a systema- 
tized opposition against the XeAv Testament AA^ay of doing 


Philip AVorthy. 


65 


things tliroiighoiit this country, and not simply in this im- 
mediate part^ as we might suppose/^ 

Well/^ said Elder Cheer, I had no idea tliat such a con- 
dition existed/^ 

iSTor did said Fairplay, until my experience with 
the secretar}L I thought that such conditions might exist 
in certain localities — worse, of course, in this than in any 
other because of Dodger’s presence. Hence to haye it sprung 
upon me all at once that it was systematized throughout the 
country was like a crashing thunderbolt from a clear sky; 
hence my lack of merc}^ with the secretary.” 

AA^hat can we do ? ” asked Elder Trust. 

^CVs I have said before,” said Elder Happy, we can only 
do our duty, as the faithful few at Sardis did; and then we 
can rejoice at all times in the promise that we shall walk 
with our Heavenly Father in white when the battle is over.” 
To this all agreed, but Fairplay said : Christianity means 

opposition to sin and wickedness in all its forms, wherever 
and whenever it appears.” 

Yes,” said Elder Cheer; but we must be judicious about 
it. Our opposition even to sin must be opportune, so as not 
to cause some of the weaker and lesser informed to fall.” 

To this they all agreed heartily; but, of course, it meant 
one thing to Fairplay and quite a different thing to the 
other three. Fairplay, because of his temperament, would 
think opposition opportune when the others would not. None 
realized that fact more than Dodger and those in sympathy 
with him. He was frequently heard to say that if Fairplay 
would only die or get killed, then they could accomplish some- 
thing; that he thought they could manage those other breth- 
ren; that he believed they would go out on their letters of 
dismissal, were it not for Fairplay. At the preachers’ meet- 


66 


PiriLTP Worthy. 


ing he said more than once: ^MVe will have to have at least 
one funeral^ if not more than one^ in our congregation be- 
fore we can accomplish much. I never was able to ferret out 
just what Panhs thorn in the flesh was; hut whatever it was 
to Panl^ it bore absolntel}^ no compa,rison to James Fair- 
play to me and the congregation at Conway. While Panl^ 
single and alone^ prayed three times for the Lord to remove 
his thorn and the Lord did not remove it^ I know that we 
have praved collectivelv more than a hundred times for the 
Lord to remove James Fairplay; hut the Lord has not seen 
l^roper to remove him yet. The Lord told Paul that his grace 
was sufficient for him ; but, brethren^ it will take infinitely 
more grace to enable ns to endure our thorn. Thus far God 
has neither seen proper to remove him nor to grant us the 
grace. So we are still planning and scheming to get rid of 
him.^^ 

Anhle Dodger's witty wording of his statement provoked a 
great deal of merriment, the stubborn fact provoked much 
sympathy. 

When Trusty appeared at the next State board meietiiig, 
the very first thing called for was his interview with Fair- 


nlav. I'hev had all heard of it. Triistv was verv reticent 

J. C V 

about it; for after Fairplay had gone and he had cooled 
down and remembered how he had, in the heat of passion, 
given the whole thing away, the thought came to him that 
if the hretliren found it out they would have to change his 


name, if they did not dispense with his services. So he said 
to liimself: ^'FTow my only salvation is to not report all that 
occurred between us; and if Fairplay reports- the thing, I 
will denounce it as a lie.'' He eased his conscience by rea- 
soning thus: ^^We all suppress a part of God's truth when 
necessary to carry out our. plans for which we have no scrip- 


Philip Worthy. 


67 




tiire; and why not suppress a part of tlie truth in this case, 
when iny very secretarial, if not ministerial, head depends 
upon it ? 

So Trusty reported the interview only in a general way. 
He said : It was very Avarm, indeed, at times ; but, I tell 

yon, I gave him just as good as he sent, until he was per- 
fectly willing to quit; and I venture he will never tackle me 
again. 

In this way Trusty satisfied the other members of the 
board; so that they congratulated him for his defense of 
their worldly systems, and said that he had an appropriate 
name and that they were willing to trust him still. 

James Fairplay — defeated, disappointed, astonished, but 
undaunted — resolved to make another and final effort for his 
friend, Worthv, who was at that time in the midst of his 
not only successful, Imt constaiitly increasing, labors at Out- 
way. If there ever was a man who, in profound meekness 
and humility, controlled the city and community in which 
lie resided, it was Philip Worthy. People generally looked 
upon him as head and shoulders above any other man in the 
community, from a standpoint of scholarship. He would im- 
press an audience as knowing everything. Besides, almost 
ever}^ one looked upon him as humility and spirituality al- 
most personified. Already one would think that his Hereu- 
lean labors would crush him. However, at this time he was 
passing on to the prime of life, and his strong physique 
showed no signs of over^vork. Wherever his young men went 
to preach, there came requests for him to publish a weekly 
Christian paper, that all might have access to his profound 
knowledge. Having his splendid college buildings not only 
paid for, but well endowed at that time, also having a splen- 
did faculty and a very choic-e body of students and the 


68 


Philip Worthy. 


churches at home and abroad in a flourishing condition — 
not only self-sustaining^ but themselves reaching out and es- 
tablishing new missions all the time — and absolute peace and 
harmony prevailing throughout^ he thought that was the time 
to start the paper, which he did, and called it The Chris- 
lan. ^ 


Philip Worthy. 


69 


CHAPTER VIL 


When Fairplay would contemplate the inan^ the wonder- 
ful work he had accomplished and was accomplishing, then 
to think that Worthy^s name had never appeared upon a. pro- 
gramme — ministerial, county, district. State, or national — 
he would almost go wild. Having decided fully that it was 
jealousy, puerility, and meanness on the part of the preacli- 
ers in his own State, and possibly all the States, he resolved 
to rise above even State coiiventions and take Worthy^s name 
to tlie national convention, where such jealousies, and espe- 
cially political trickeiy, even if it should be in some hearts, 
would not be allowed to come to the surface. He mentioned 
liis purpose to Elders Cheer, Trust, and Happy. They all 
said : It looks reasonable, sounds plaiusible, and we think 

that something of the kind ought to be done if possible, in 
order to show not only our own, but the whole churches, ap- 
preciation of Worthy’s indefatigable labors.” 

Thev were certain in their own minds that the entire 
church — except some preachers there and elsewhere, who had, 
throvigh their worldly ambition and baseness, forced them- 
selves into high society positions — would heartily indorse 
Philip Worthv’s work at Outwav. 

These brethren had been just a little skeptical about Fair- 
play’s previous plans of introduction, and hence gave him 
little or no encouragement. They had not really opposed 
his plans ; but they had not encouraged him, which was about 
the same. But now, encouraged by their expressions of con- 
fidence, Fairplay was on fire and could scarcely wait to get 


70 


Philip AVorthy. 


to the national programme committee. He never mentioned 
the episode with Trusty^ the State secretaiy_, to Philip. His 
failure was so complete that he could not^ by any process of 
reasonings see how it would benefit him in any way wliat- 
ever. So he^ without communicating this effort to Philips 
ent to' the national programme committee. He wents feel- 
iiig that his effort would work for good in tAvo Avays — namelVs 
it Avould greatly encourage Philip AVorthy by giving him tlie 
prominence due hinis announce his Avork. and thereby greatly 
enlarge the same; ands better stills it Avpuld give those smaller 
convention j)reacherSs avIio are arrogance personifieds a re- 
buke that Avould take the conceit out of them and make them 
feel their nothingness as never before. 

AAhth his AAdiole nature thrilling through and through AAuth 
such thoughts and Avith all j)ossible overconfidences Fairplay 
appeared in the presence of the committee. 

Brethreiis^^ said Fairplays ordinarily I Avould simply be 
overAvhelmed Avith embarrassment to appear before so hon- 
orable a bodys for I am not at all accustomed to public speak- 
ing; but at this time the justice of my cause and the abso- 
lute certainty of success overcomes my embarrassments for 
I stand before you to speak out of the great abundance of my 
heart. I know that you brethren must be Avell knoAvn 
throughout the entire brotherhood for your superior pietys 
Avisdonp and judgment; otherAvise you never Avould have been 
selected to fill the stations you iiqav occupy. I know that a 
great deal depends upon the actions of this committee. The 
interests of the entire church are at stake. Realizings as I 
dOs the great responsibilities resting upon yoip and also knoAv- 
ing that any persons in your positions Avhatever their Avis- 
dom and abilitAg Avould need all the suggestions and help 
possible — indeeds it would be a mark of your Avisdom to so- 


> 


. Philip Worthy. 


71 


licit suggestions — I thought that I would coine^ unsolicited^ 
and contribute my mite. Xo; it is more than a mite to 3^our 
assistance. I say ^ more than a mite ^ because I believe that 
I have as prominent a feature to suggest as ever appeared on 
any programme in the world. Knowing that we would have 
present at these great national conventions the greatest schol- 
ars — literary^ scientific, philosophical — besides the most hon- 
orable, the mayor of the city in which the convention is held, 
the Governor of the State, and possibly the President of the 
United States or some crowned head, it would he absolutely 
necessary to have the brightest, most brilliant, as well as the 
best of men, to constitute such programmes; otherwise the 
demands would not be met, and our cause would, in a meas- 
ure at least, be prostrated. Xow to, with absolute and un- 
erring certainty, avoid siich a calamity (I was about to say 
‘^catastrophe^), I iiave a name to suggest to this honorable 
committee that will within itself insure the success of the 
convention, even if every other name on the programme 
should be a failure — a name that will# give the church dig- 
nity, standing, and great prestige throughout this country 
and every other country that happens to have representatives 
at the convention or whose people happen to read the great 
address that he whose name I have come to suggest to the 
committee shall deliver on that occasion for he shines forth 
as a bright and brilliant star in the intellectual and religious 
heavens. I mean Philip Worthy, of Outway.^^ 

During this eloquent and impasisioned tribute to his friend,* 
Worthy, a multitude of thoughts were passing before Fair- 
play’s mind in bold relief — namely, not only Philip’s great 
address itself, but a probable outline of the same; not only 
the effect of the address upon the great audience, but' its 
effect upon those arrogant programme preachers from the 


72 


Philip Worthy. 


various States., and especiall}^ upon those from his own St-ate 
and his immediate part of the State. He, in his anticipa- 
tion, conld just see them sitting aronnd, with chagrin and 
shamefacedness and heads down almost between their knees. 
As when he appeared before his own State secretary, such a 
thought as their knowing all about Worthy, and especially 
objecting to him, had never entered into his mind, so he was 
wholly unprepared for their reply. 

One thinlvs strange that Fairplay did not think of the bare 
possibility of such a thing after his experience with the min- 
isterial association, his home church, and the State secretary ; 
but while he knew that there was something vitally wrong 

I 

somewhere, he had rather had the idea that it was the abuse 
of the organizations by the designing preachers of the vari- 
ous States, till his eyes were opened through contact with 
them that the organizations themselves were wrong, unscrip- 
tural, and divisive. Frotwitlistanding this fact, he still had 
an idea that the national committee, board, and convention 
would be far above the grovelings and trick er}- of the States 
and communities. 

Fairplay was speechless and almost paralyzed when Thomas 
Upman, chairman of the committee, said : Brother Fair- ’ 

play, did you not know that not only Worthy^s name, but 
your own, as well as all the other discordant brethren in your 
part of the country, are perfectly familiar tO' every one of us?*^ 

^ Discordant brethren ! ^ exclaimed Fairplay. ^ Dis- 
cordant brethren ! ^ Why do you call us all, including Philip 
Woidliy, ^ discordant ? ^ 

Well,^^ answered Upman, you are ail out of line with 
the brotherhood.^^ 

What do you mean by being out of line with the broth- 
erhood ? ■’ said Fairplay. 


• Philip Worthy. 


73 


I mean/’ said Upman, that you do not believe in in- 
strumental music in the churches^ a Sunday school (with 
officers and the regular Sunday-school liteirature), the Chris- 
tian Endeavor S’ociety^ the Christian Womaids Board of Mis- 
sions^ missionary societies, or any of the approved methods 
of doing church wo-rk.^^ 

Show me a syllable of scripture authority for one single 
thing that you have mentioned/^ said Fairplay. 

We doffit have to have any scripture authority/^ said 
Upman; ^’sanctified common sense will suggest it.^^ 

You admit/^ said Fairplay, that you have inaugurated 
a system of working for which you have no' scripture author- 
ity, and then proceed to denounce as ^ discordant ^ those who 
do not, without a murmur, surrender themselves — body, soul, 
spirit, conscience, time, talents, means, life, and all — to your 
system. ^ Discordant ^ because they will not sacrifice or ex- 
change the law of the Tx)rd for a human system ! If you 
can convince me that wrong is right, if you can convince me 
that man is greater than God, then, but not till then, will I 
believe that human law is above the divine law; then, but 
not till then, will I cease to be ' discordant ^ and will sur- 
render all to your human system. Unless you do that, I will 
live in opposition to any system that makes void the laAv of 
the Lord; that lays the most faithful, conscientious, and effi- 
cient men upon the slielf, long before their work is done, 
and invites the ambitious, unscrupulous, and designing to 
the front and to the high and most responsible places — a sys- 
tem that will lift young men, many of whom cannot even con- 
trol themselves, into positions where they can, and actually 
do, ‘ lord it over ^ all the elders of the various congregations 
in the district over which they preside. 

You talk about the elders/^ said Upman. ^Must look at 


74 


Philip Worthy. 


your elders all over the country — old-fogy back iiuiiibers ! 
Wliat if the preachers should leave the government of the 
churches to such men; what would become of them? Why^ 
you know as well as I do that they would never make any 
progress; for when they call preachers^ they would select 
men not a whit above themselves^ ,and then they would 
just slide along in the same old rut forever. They would re- 
fuse at all times to adopt any of the approved methods of 
chu rch work^ simply because they could not find a ^ thus saith 
the Lord ^ in approved precept or example ; and thereby they 
and their congregations would form^er remain discordant ele- 
ments^ like Worthy and all his kind. So that the preach- 
ers arc compelled to take the matter in hand.^^ 

When I came to you/'^ said F airplay, 1 thought that 

I was coming to a high and an honorable body — one that was 
as high above the groveling, political tricksters of the States, 
districts, etc., as the heavens are higher than the earth. 
1 thought by my experience with them that I had seen all the 
corruption extant; but as the State secretary not only re- 
minded me of John Dodger, but used the same rotten argu- 

♦ 

ments, and almost the same words, as Dodger in defense of 
their human system, so now you do the same thing. I want 
to say to you that now, for the first time in all m}^ life, I 
realize that there is no difference. I ha,ve now been through 
the entire mill. I have run the gantlet, from the preach- 
ers’ association to the national committee, and I know from 

y 


actual experience and observation that your system would 
sink into oblivion everybodv and everything that would dare 
oppose or raise a dissenting voice. So all the hope that I 
ever had has been blasted. The onlv thino- that we can do is to 


contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all deliv- 
ered unto the saints.’ So 1 will go back; and we will all renew 


Philip Worthy. 


75 


our determiiiatioii, draw the armor of God closer about us, 
and walk with a firmer step than ever before; and, with 
but little ceremon}^ he started for home. 

Upon F airplay’s return, he called Elders Cheer, Trust, 
and Happy together and said : Brethren, I never was more 

surprised and more sorely disappointed in my life. You 
yourselves know that I never opposed boards, as such, in my 
life till I had my ex^Derience with the preachers’ association 
and the State secretary. I had always looked upon theui 
as matters of opinion, to be adopted or let alone as people 
saw fit; for they were not commanded of the Lord. Even 
after my experience with Secretaiy Trusty, the thought that 
the boards themselves were wrong did not enter my mind ; 
the real thought in my mind was that it was a good thing 
in bad hands, and that if I could ever see the same in good 
hands, it would be all right. This I fully expected to see 
in the national committee; but you can imagine how com- 
pletely my hopes were blasted when I found the members 
of that committee the same kind of groveling, political trick- 
sters as Dodger, Trusty, and all the rest. I thought when 
1 started out here I was beginning at the bottom and going 


toward the top; but, brethren, after my experience all along 
the line, I see that the thing has no top or bottom — that 
everything pertaining to this system is on an absolute level. 
Why, if Thomas Upmaii liad stood behind a curtain when he 
talked and there had been no difference in the tone of voice, 
as I said of Henry Trusty, I would have testified on oath 
that it was John Dodger talking. Ever^Tody, from John 
Dodger to Thomas Upinan, talks exactly alike. They all seem 
to have the entire list of missionary words, phrases, clauses, 
sentences, and even addresses, as slick as an otter slide. 
Thev must have a mill somewhere, where they grind out all 


76 




Philip Worthy. 


of this so-called ^ inissionarv iiiaterial,' and from which mill 
at least sermon outlines are sent out to the preachers all over 
the country; for I know that they would not all just happen 
to put forth exactly the same silly^ sickening, and unscrip- 
tural positions and worldly systems. No^ my brethren^ there 
is no hope anywhere. If their system is not wrong, it 
is always in bad hands^ which amounts to the same thing. 
But now 1 am convinced^ beyond the possibility of a doubt, 
that, if the Bible be true, their system is false, and that the 
right thing for us to do is to ^ contend earnestly for the faith 
which was once for all delivered unto the saints.^ 

To this they all agreed; and from that moment henceforth 
they never expected a particle of sympathy, aid, dr comfort 
from the societies. 

James Fairplay communicated ^ his experience to Philip 
Worthy and said : W e have concluded that if we could not 

get a place on any of their programmes for the best, most 
able, and most successful man in the brotherhood, we could 
not hope for any one else. We have concluded, further, that 
the whole system is wrong, because it is human; that hence- 
forth we are ^ determined to know nothing but Christ, and 
him crucified,' and to teach the Bible, the whole Bible, and 
nothing but the Bible; that where the Bible speaks, we will 
speak ; and where the Bible is silent, we will be silent.'^ 

Philip responded: Of course in your reference to me I 

feel that you greatly overestimate me; for 1 have never 
thought of comparing myself to my brethren at all, inucli 
less in that way. Paul says : To compare yourselves with 

yourselves or among yourselves is not wise.^ I feel very 
kindly to you. Brother Fairplay, for the many faithful and 
determined elforts that you have made in my behalf; but if 
you had conferred with me, 1 could have saved you the trou- 


Philip Worthy. 


77 


ble, for I tested all those things before I entered upon my 
life work proper. I saw that their system was purely hu- 
man; and hence their advocates would necessaxily be arbi- 
trary^ tyrannical, and oppressive toward all who differed from 
them. For that verv reason I could not conscientious] v work 

4/ t- 

with them; and to avoid an early conflict, I located here at 
Outway, far from their influence — not that I thought for a 
moment that their influence would never reach here, but that 
I might possibly succeed in getting the Bible plan sufficiently 
established, so that it would continue to stand in spite of the 
societies^ influence when thev did come. I was not at all 
surprised when you wrote me that they had their agencies at 
work to dislodge me. I knew that if they did not already 
have them at work, they would some time. But especially 
am I gratified to learn that you have determined, without 
any reservation, mental or otherwse, to abide God’s way of 
doing everything. Be true to this resolution, and God will 
open the windows of heaven and pour out such blessings upon 
you as you will not be able to receive,’ is my faith. 

Your brother in Christ and in the hope of heaven, 

Philip Worthy.” 


78 


Philip Wouthy. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


After Fairplay left^ Thomas Upman^ chairman of the na- 
tional programme committee^ said to the other members : 
Yon can see plainly that something will have to be done to 
crush that man^ Worthy; for his work at Outway is assum- 
ing too great proportions. That he has been doing, and is 
doing, a wonderful work, we cannot deny; that he is doing 
all in exact accordance with the word of God, we cannot 
deny; but because he does nothing except by positive precept 

or example from the Yew Testament, he insists that we 

✓ 

should do the same thing. There is where he is wrong ; there 
is where he and his school, paper, books (written by him),' 
churches (at home and abroad) — and, indeed, all who come 
under his influence — hurt the avotIv of these splendid mis- 
sionary societies AAdiich ^ sanctified common sense ’ has sug- 
gested as an addition to those mentioned in the Bible. True, 
as it is said of Worthy, he seldom, if ever, refers tO' our hu- 
man organizations, either privately or publicly; but the fact 
that he does not in any Avay participate in these approved 
methods of working bespeaks his opposition to us in the most 
telling way, and his never referring to us at all only empha- 
sizes his opposition to us. If he Avould talk against us or 
pay any attention to us in any way^ it would give us an 
opportunity to at least misrepresent him, and thereby build 
up prejudice against him, if nothing more; but as it is, there 
he and his work stand like a magnificent mountain raising 
its majestic head higher and higher every year. AVe need 


Philip Wokthy. 


79 


not talk about meeting him face to face in an open fight. 
Did you ever see him ? 

Xo/^ said the other members of the committee. 

Well/’ said Thomas TJpman, you just ought to see him. 
He is the most magnificent specimen of our race upon the 
face of the earth. Some one has said : He could look bet- 

ter than most men can preach or speak.’ He is large, intel- 
lectual, humble, and the most eloquent and powerful man 
who ever addressed an audience. Fairplay’s eulogy upon him 
was not at all overdrawn. But for that very reason it is ab- 
solutely necessary for us to do something to curtail Ins in- 
fiuenee, for he will injure us more and more as the years 
go by. I want to suggest to you what I have had in mind 
for some time and see what you think about it. It is tliis : 
At the coming convention we will call a few of the leaders 
together early and suggest to them that the only way to 
down ’ Philip Worthy is to hold the next great national 
convention at his place. I know that the place is rather out 
of the way, as the name ^ Outway ’ would suggest; and not 
only so, but that we will have to improvise or rent some good 
place in wliich to hold' the convention; and hence it will, in 
all probability, make it the most expensive convention ever 
lield among us. But, still, I think it will be money well ex- 
pended ; for such a convention, with the veiy best programme 
possible, would eclipse, overshadow, and crush him and his 
work.” 

Good ! ” said the other members of the committee. If 
anything on earth will crush him, that will. How did you 
happen to think of the plan? ” 

Well,” said Ilpman, I have thought and prayed over 
the matter by day and by night, till finaJly, as if by inspira- 
tion, the plan rushed into my mind.” 


80 


Philip Worthy. 


They all agreed that they were certain that the plan would 
meet the hearty approval of the entire convention; that it 
would work like a charm; -and that Worthy and liis work at 
Outway could only be read about after the great convention. 
So^ with this plan burning in their minds and hearts^ they 
proceeded to prepare the programme for the intervening con- 
vention. 

This plan was mentioned to the proper ones the first day of 
the next convention^ before any other place should be sug- 
gested for the following convention; and there was not a 
dissenting voice — no^ not a discordant note — on the subject; 
but, rather, for the suggestion of this plan, Thomas TJpman 
was almost lionized by all during the entire convention. All 
seemed to have looked upon him as a prodigy or a genius. 
The sisters agreed pretty generally that he had a touch of 
inspiration. Anyway, when knotty questions came up in the 
convention, they would always refer them to Thomas Upman, 
reasoning that any one who could solve the problem of get- 
ting rid of Woirthy could solve the lesser questions that might 
arise in a convention. If he should miss the proper solu- 
tion a thousand miles, they would receive it, taking it for 
granted that it was right; for they felt that if he could not 
get it right, no one else could. 

It may be isaid that the wave of enthusiasm over the pro- 
spective convention at Outway interfered somewhat with the 
present convention, for how to down Philip Worthy had 
been burdening their hearts for years; but now as this great 
burden had been lifted, of course they would all naturally 
gather about and give more attention to Thomas Upman, 
who had lifted the burden, than they would give to the 
convention programme itself. Such a thought as the plan’s 
miscarrying never once entered any of their minds. 


PiiiLir Worthy. 


81 


Of course^ Thomas Upman was also. made the chairman of 
the next programme committee; for they did not feel tliat 
there was another man in the convention who was capable 
of preparing a programme so important as the Oiitway pro- 
gramme would necessarily have to be in order to accom- 
plish the great work of downing Worthy and destroying 
his work. 

At the proper time John Dodger^ of Conway, arose and 
said : Mr. Chairman, inasmuch as there is no excellence 

without labor, there should be no excellent labor without re- 
ward or honor of some kind. Xow, Philip Worthy is a great 
and good man and has done a wonderful work at Outway . 
and elsewhere, and we cannot deny it. Hence the exceeding 
great difficulty of dislodging him. Sister Inroad, who did 
the supplanting stunt so beautifully at Conway, has been 
at work on Worthy's case for years and has had many able 
assistants; but Brother Thomas Upman has done what they 
all could not do — thought of a plan that will do the work. 

1 know, and so does everv one know who has ever worked on 
the case, that the plan represents .much labor, meditation, 
prayer, if not fasting, on Brother Upinams part, and that 
he should, therefore, be honored .for the same. I, therefore, 
nominate him for chairman of that which promises to be the 
greatest and most memorable convention that ever has been, 
or possibly ever will be, held by our people, on account of the 
wonderful work to be accomplished. It is- not probable that 
any other convention will ever be called upon to do a sim- 
ilar work, for I doubt whether this country ever produces 
another man capable of doing the work and exerting the 
influence that Worthy has exerted. I refer to our next con- 
vention to be held at Outway.^’ 


82 


Philip Wokthy. 


I second the motion ! yelled fifty, a hundred, and some- 
guessed it at a thousand. 

^'Any remarks ? asked the chairman. 

Question ! was upon every tongne. 

in favor say, said the chairman, 

said the whole convention, with an emphasis that 
almost raised the roof. 

For the next hour the chairman lost control of tlie present 
conveiition entirely, for the thousands present took this op- 
portunity to extend congratulations to Upman. 

There never was as much thought, money, time, and en- 
ergy spent in preparation for any convention as there was 
the next twelve months for the one tO' be held at Outway. 

Upman decided at once that he would not have a single 
one upon that pro'gramme but what was known as a star 
speaker and thinker — not only among the brethren, but 
throughout the country. He did not confine himself strictly 
to his own brethren. That he might catch prominent de- 
nominational ears, he put Kev. (?) Starshoot on the pro- 
gramme; and to attract inan}^ of the worldly wise; Professor 
Shiner's name also appeared on the programme. 

This programme was submitted to many competent judges 
before publication; and all, without a single exception, said 
that it presented the finest array of talent and covered the 
widest range of thought of any programme they had ever seen. 
This, of course, might have been true or it might not; but 
the fact that Upman had prepared it was sufficient within 
itself to make them think so. AAhth this encouragement, they 
proceeded very early to have thousands of the programmes 
printed in the most attractive form possible; and as the time 
for the convention drew near, the announcements of the place 
and time were made more frequent and numerous, until im* 


•Philip Worthy. 


83 


mediately preceding the conyeiition the whole country was 
literally flooded with announcements and progTammes. The 
announcement of time and place, together with the entire 
programme, was to be seen in all their own papers and in all 
the leading denominational papers in the country, besides the 
leading secular papers. The denominational editors were 
glad to make the announcement. They were about as anx- 
ious to get rid of AVorthy as the others were; for he had, 
through pure teaching and pure, Christian living, compelled 
those at Outway to teach and practice almost exactly as he 
did to keep their members from going to him. In the stores, 
offices of all kinds, hotels, and railroad stations could be seen 
such announcements as these : Pemember the convention 

at Outway at a certain time ; ^Clll roads lead to Outway ; 
etc. They had succeeded in getting special rates on all the 
railroads and entertainment for thousands while at Outway. 

When James Fairplay began to read the announcements, 
he became almost frantic; for from his own personal expe- 
rience with them, from local to national, he was enabled to 
read the interpretation of all this between their own lines^ — 
that is, it was to eclipse Worthy through sheer force of num- 
bers and show. So, fearing that his good friend and brother, 
tlirough lack of experience, would not understand it, he 
boarded a train and went to see the great and good man. 

Brother Worthy,^^ said Fairplay, they are bringing that 
national convention here for no other purpose in the world 
than to try to eclipse you and destroy your work. They 
think that by bringing it right to your door and among the 
members of the various congregations here and vicinity, 
many, and especially the young and lesser informed mem- 
bers, will be carried away with the glitter, glare, and en- 
thusiasm of the convention; so that they will never again be 


84 


Philip Worthy. 


satisfied with the plain^ simple^ Xew Testament way of doing 
things. I tell you^ it is meanness personified; and I have a 
great notion to just plant my batteries right here^ whence 
I can open np on this convention^ from the very first session 
to the last^ with my big guns, which my experience with them 
compelled me to forge and load. I was afraid^ Brother Wor- 
th}^^ that yon would not understand all this; hence I came 
to give you the inside track and to indicate my purpose to 
you.^^ 

^^Now^ I thanlv you very kindly/' said Worthy; but I 
presume that I know more about these tilings than you think 
I do. I know from my own experience and observation that 
you are exactly right in your interpretation of this conven- 
tion at this place; but my experience teaches me that the 
best way — and^ indeed^ the only right and effective way — • 
to oppose error of any kind is to teach the word of God in 
its absolute purity^ and at the same time make our own lives 
living and continuous illustrations of the sacred and solemn 
lessons that we learn from the wdtd of God, and strive at 
all times to manifest the spirit of Christ, even in the face of 
the greatest possible opposition. Of course this great con- 
vention will, no doubt, sidetrack many of our members and 
enable them to organize a congregation here of impulsive or 
ill-informed members from the various congregations. ^lem- 
bers who are disposed to take their feelings as their guide 
will naturally be carried away with the enthusiasm of such a 
convention; but, Brother Fairplay, if we have done our whole 
dut}" hitherto and will continue to do so, who will be respon- 
sible for their going off? Certainly we will not. I expect 
to go right on with my work, the same as if there was not a 
convention in the town. I shall not in any way encourage 
the convention, but shall continue at my work and try to 


Philip Worthy. 


85 


prevail iipoii all with whom I come in contact to do th6 same. 
That will throw the whole responsibility upon the conven- 
tion people. 

That is exactly right/^ said Fairplay ; bnt^ then^ yon 

0. 

know I am of such an impulsive nature and have seen so 
much of their trickery that I just feel like opening up on 
them. But yours is the iviser plan, and I shall suppress my 
feelings and follow your suggestion. 

Several days before the convention was to begin, the dele- 
gates began to arrive, and every day more and more, till 
finally the locals, overlands and all, came crowded to the 
limit; and thus they continued till the city was almost over- 
run. Of course, almost all came ostensibly to attend the 
great convention, hear the great speeches, and receive the 
general enthusiasm and spiritual uplift of the great meet- 
ing; but deep down in their hearts they wanted, first of all, 
to get a good, square look at the good man. Worthy, before 
his destruction by the convention. How they could do this 
without giving themselves and the whole scheme away was 
the question with a great many. 

The mammoth convention hall was crowded almost to suffo- 
cation at the first session; and if there ever was a small dog 
in high rye, it was Thomas Upman, chairman of tlie con- 
vention. He hardly looked like Thomas; he looked taller, 
larger, smarter, and greater in every way. And, by the way, 
he made a good chairman, if I do say it myself. If he only 
had a thousandth part of the knowledge of, and regard for, 
the word of God that he had for Koberts^ Eules of Or- 
der,^^ he might have been a probable coworker with, if not a 
successor to, Philip Worthy himself ; but — alas ! — among the 
first persons he looked for when he arose was Philip Worthy; 
and, of course, he expected to feel somewhat embarrassed. 


<86 


,Philip Worthy. 


looking into the face of the good man whom he was tliere to 
destroy. But imagine his relief when he saw that he was not 
there at all. The convention opened with the grandest music 
Out way ever heard. Then^ after the opening prayer b}" 
Eev. (?) Boomer and a few remarks by the chairman — wliicli 
was a happy unction of that brilliant inaugural address which 
he had been a year in preparing and which he was to deliver 
a day or two later — they entered upon the convention work 
proper. It would not be possible for me to report all the 
grand and eloquent things that were said on this occasion^ 
even if I had the time and space. One had to be present to 
appreciate it properly. Yes; they discussed science^ philoso- 
phy^ higher criticism, tlie ?0sthetic in religion, etc. ; they had 
lectures on missions, Christian WomaiPs Board of Missions 
work. Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor work, 
Sunday-school work, popular lectures, concerts, etc.; and all 
the men and women who spoke showed that they had, by na- 
tive ability, hard work, and profound research, mastered their 
themes. All, without a single exception, carried the great 
audience right with them. Every feature of the convention 
more than met the expectation of all. 

When the Lord’s day came, all the denominational pulpits 
were occupied by preachers from the convention. Of course 
they never asked the privilege of preaching in any of the 
churches of Christ; for, on account of their impure motives 
in coming there, they Avere afraid of their very shadoAvs, lest 
tliev should be suspected. One notcAvoidliv fact Avas that in 
all their convention Avork and Lord’s-day preaching not a 
single reference Avas made to Philip Worthy or his Avay of 
Avorking, for they kneAv that that Avould be a dead give 
a.Avav ” to them ; but some one Avent to the editor of a little 
sensational sheet, avIio came out Avith extra issues, and, un- 


Philip Worthy. 


87 


der large headlines^ pretended to shoY^ up the difference be- 
tween the broad^ liberal convention people and the narrow, 
illiberal antieonvention people, hoping thereby to provoke 
Worthy or some of the leading members to take it np; bnt 
not a word was heard from anv source whatever. Still, 
through this miserable editor the convention people did their 
utmost to belittle the work of the churches of Christ there 
bv contrasting it with the great work of the convention. 

In the convention they talked a great deal about the beau- 
tiful harmony, and to all appearances there was harmony ; 
but when you remember that the audience was composed of 
people from all denominations and people of no denomina- 
tion and that there were some of their own, some denomi- 
national, and some of no church on the programme, the ques- 
tion would naturally arise: How could perfect harmony pre- 
vail under such circumstances? The onlv answer to the 
question is : By either confining themselves to themes out- 
side of the Bible or by suppressing those parts of the Bible 
that constitute the points of difference between them and the 
denominations — if, indeed, such points still exist at all; and, 
as a matter of fact, no one heard a word in the convention, 
that would in any way cross his sectarian or skeptical views — 
or in the churches, either, as to that matter. 

To look around and see the great convention hall crowded 
to suffoeation; to go to the churches and find them the same 
way — the parks, hotels, and even the very streets, full of con- 
vention people — one would be made to wonder what had be- 
come of Worthy and his people; for at the time they seemed 
to be completely lost sight of. 

Thomas XJpnian was in ecstasies all the time; for, from the 
appearance of things, he had ever3^ reason to believe that he 


88 


Philip Worthy. 


was even more than measuring up to the reputation that he 
had made. 

It was one of the most deceptive conventions ever held ; for 
as the main electric tower and the many lesser lights are al- 
most entirely shut out from view by the heavy fog, but when 
the fog disappears, the lights not only reappear, but seem 
to shine brighter because of the fog’s having come and gone, 
so, for the time being, the light of Philip Worthy and that 
of his brethren was almost completely shut out by the num- 
bers, enthusiasm, glitter, and glare of the great convention ; 
but when the convention is over, as we shall see,, he shines like 
a star in the religions heavens — the brighter because of the 
darkness of opposition and persecution through which he liacl 
passed. 


Philip Worthy. 


89 


CHAPTER IX. 


* 


The conveiitioii was to continue for ei^ht days, and for 

^ o %J ^ 

five or six days the convention people seemed to have it all 
their own wav and carrv evervtliino' before them; but from 
that time on they began to hear and feel some opposition. 
People of the various denominational churches and of no 
church began to ask why the name of the great and good 
man, AYorth}', did not appear upon the programme. They 
went to AA^orthy every day and every hour in the day to know 

kJ %/ kJ 

why his name was not on the programme. 

They do not want my name on the programme/'^ said 
AA^orthv. 


AA^hv not ? they asked. 


Did you not invite the con- 
1/ 


vention to Out way ? 

I did not/^ answered AA^orthv. 

y t/ 

Did not some of your people invite it? they said. 

They did not/^ said AA^orthv. 

You do not mean to tell us that they voluntarily forced 
themselves upon you after this fashion ? they said. 

They did/^ said he. 

James Fairpla}", who had been cpiiet for some time, could 
keep quiet no longer. He said : They are nothing but a 

lot of political tricksters and sneak thieves, who have come 
here for no other purpose than to steal the congregations es- 
tablished by Brother AA^orthy and those working with him; 
and, of course, they do not want Ms name on the programme.^^ 

Mr. Honorbright, minister of the Church, who had 

been spokesman for those who had come to see AA^orthy, at 


90 


Philip Worthy. 


that time said — and with a good deal of feeling^ too : 
Brother Fairplay^ you are exactly right. I begin to see it 
now; I begin to see why they liave Brother StarshooPs name 
on the 2>rogramme. It is for no other purpose than to de- 
ceive the people of the various other churches. They put 
Professor Shiner^ that old skeptic^ on the programme to at- 
tract the worldly wise. For this reason I am determined — 
so help me God ! — to get Brother Worthy before that con- 
vention ere it closes. Brother Worthy^ while you know that 
we have all opposed you^ more or less^ because you have made 
inroads upon our congregations constantly till you liave al- 
most absorbed some of .them; that the farther we were from 
you and your influence^ the more we prospered numerically, 
and that the nearer we were to you and your influence, the 
less we prospered — notwithstanding all this, you know that 
we all loved and honored you; and we do not propose to 
allow people to come and treat you after this fashion right 
in our midst. With the record you have made among us, 
wo all feel honored at yoiir presence, and greatly prefer you 
to those ^ sneak thieves,^ as Brother Fairplay calls them, if 
you do make inroads upon us, or even absorb us all.^’ 

So Honorbright started out with a petition, which was 
signed by judges, doctors, lawyers, preachers, clubs, prayer 
meetings, Sunday schools, and churches. He then appeared 
before the convention managers and presented the petition 
for Worth}^ to have the closing speech of the convention. 

I am very sorry that things have taken this turn,^^ said 
llev. (?) Smoothly, chairman of the honorable committee 
on programme. We never thought of Brother AVoithy s 
wanting a place on the programme, or we certaiidy would 
have given him a place. But this evening is the last session 
of the eon^'ention; and in order to hold all the jieople for 


Philip Worthy. 


91 


this last session^ we have reserved some of our very best 
speakers (Professor Shiner and others) for this evening, and 
I just do not see how we can change it.^^ 

Well/*^ said Honorb right, if you do not set this even- 

ing apart for Worthy, you will have to do a great deal worse, 
for this city will give this convention such a rebuke at the 
time and such a write-up later that you will all be afraid to 
go into a convention again. 

Well/^ said Sinoothlv, I will see what we can do.^^ 

y %j y 

After Honorbright retired, the chairman said to the com- 
mittee : I have been hearing for the last two or three days 

that our motives in bringing this convention to this place 
have been suspected, but had no idea that it had assumed so 
stubborn a form ; but now you can all see that the great wave - 
of indignation from all over the city, representing every plia.se 
of society, of which Honorbright's determined face and une- 
cpiivocal words were oaily a forecast, cannot be thrown back, 
turned aside, stopped, or even checked. The only wa.y under 
heaven that we can possibly do is to unceremoniously stand 
aside and let the awful flood roll by.^^ 

To this they all had to agree, however adverse their wishes. 
Thev hurried around and called together all the schemers and 
wire pullers who were responsible for the presence of the 
convention at Outway, to see what could be done. 

Brethren,^^ said Smoothly, I have been in the vanguard 
of societyism for many years, and no doubt we have gone too 
far many a time; but never before did I get into a place 
where I could not find a way to quiet the disturbed and in- 
jured or some way to slip out. If in no other way, we have 
succeeded in crushing the opposition through sheer ponder- 
osity, as we aimed to do this time; but here we have utterly 
failed. The whole city — ^ antis,^ sectarians, and the world — 


92 


Philip Worthy. 


has suspected our motives. I do not know how they ever did 
it, but they certainly have. They are asking everywhere 
why Worthy^s name is not on the programme. Fairplay 
told them that we did not w^ant him on our programme; tliat 
we were a lot of political tricksters ; that we had brought the 
convention here to crush Worthy and steal the congregations 
that he and his people have established. The whole city be- 
lieves it, too. Why, Honorbright, pastor of the Church, 

says : ^ The reason they put Starshoot among their speakers 
was not because they cared anything for liiin or his doctrine, 
but to deceive and draw them into the convention. Then,’ 
said he, ^ think of the sermons they delivered in our pul- 
pits ! Elsewhere they score and denounce us as sectarians ; 
they oppose, burlesque, ridicule, and make fun of many of 
our teachings and practices; and when they are in our pul- 
pits and want our patronage, they are as sweet as sugar and 
as good as pie.’ Again, he said : ^ Why did they liave Pro- 
fessor Shiner, that old skeptic, on the programme? Sim- 
ply to draw the crowds, especially the worldly-wise.’ And,” 
said Smoothly, the worst of it is that we all know he is 
riglit about it; and our hearts condemning us, we have no 
strength left with which to combat opposition. The whole 
community, including the people of the denominations, know 
that Worthy is a grand, good man. The sectarians say: ^ Of 
course, Woi*thy differs from us; but he does not do it by trick- 
eiy, burlesque, or anything like that, but by faithfully and 
conscientiously teacliing the Bible as he understands it, and 
then making his life an illustration of what he believes the 
Bible to teach. We have thought that we would like to get 
rid of him — not because we thought he was dishonest, but 
that our own churches might grow; but now, since we see 
him passing through this awful fire of injustice and perse- 


Philip Worthy. 


93 


ciition, without the smell of fire on his religions garment, we 
say: Give him to us in preference to any of these sneaks 
who are trying to put his light out, who are good to our 
faces, but who will resort to any scheme, even to misrepre- 
sentation, to stab us or their own brethren (who follow not 
after them) in the back. Let him make inroads upon us ; 
still, we prefer him to any living man.^ And,^^ continued 
Smoothly, here is this petition — ^signed by judges, doctors, 
lawyers, clubs, churches, etc. — demanding that we give Wor- 
thy the time for the closing session of the convention. This 
was presented to the committee by Honorbright. I pro- 
tested at the time, saying that it would be an utter impossi- 
bility to make any change now, for the reason that it was 
the last session, and, in order to hold all the people attend- 
ing the convention for this session, we had reserved our very 
best speakers for this time; that as these speakers (Shiner 
and Starshoot) were not of our church, it would simply be 
impossible to dispense with their part of the programme. 
^ Well,’ said Honorbright, if you do not set this evening 
apart for Worthy, you will have to do a great deal worse, for 
this citv will give this convention such a rebuke at the time 
and such a write-up later that you will all be' afraid to go 
into a convention again.’ And, as I said to the committee 
then, so say I’ to you now, that they have not only suspected, 
but thoroughly understand, our motives in bring-ing the con- 
vention to' Outway; that the great storm of indignation, of 
which Honorbright’s determined face and unequivocal words 
were only a forecast, cannot be turned back, set aside, stopped, 
or even checked; and that the. only way under heaven for 
us to do is to just unceremoniously stand aside' and let the 
great storm pass. Let us hear from some of the rest of you.” 
Thomas Upman, chairman of the convention, was the first 


94 


Philip Worthy. 


to respond. He said : It is simply too bad for the ^ antis * 

to interfere with this glorions work of the Loyd in this way.'* 
^LBut/*^ said Smoothly^ is not the ^ antis it- is. the 
whole city and eoinmnnity ; and I am not right certain that it 
is not the Lord himself rebuking us through them, for we 
all know that we agreed to suppress our motives in coming 
to Outway and that these people are right in their charges 
against us. If we had been prompted by pure motives and 
their charges were all false, it would not lessen the problem 
before us; for, right or wrong, this great flood of indigna- 
tion is upon us, and we have to get out of the way the best 
we can. We have already waited till, while we may, by exer- 
cising the greatest po-ssible . hastCj, escape the main current 
of indignation, we may as well prepare for some hard lash- 
ings by its limits.'^ 

There is no doubt, said Hpinan, but that what you 
sav is true, and that if we refuse to do anvthing we will en- 
counter the main current instead of the limits. It is terri- 
ble to contemplate from any standpoint; and I want to say 
right here that I feel more responsible for the present con- 
dition of things than any one else, for I conceived the plan. 
I just do not know what kind of a spell the devil had me 
under at that time^ — or you all, either ; for you went wild over 
the scheme, lauded me to the sky, and honored me by mak- 
ing me chairman of this convention. While I am on the 
floor, I want to say, further, that my own conscience is giv- 
ing me all I can stand; and if you men pile it upon me too 
high, I will never liave anything to do with another conven- 
tion .while I live.'* 

Well,^'* said Peter Bold, another member of the commit- 
tee, while our motives have been suspected, our plans have 
been discovered, and we cannot possibly escape exposure, let 


% 


Philip Woktiiy. 95 

us not play the ^ baby act/' but keep a ^ stiff upper lip ^ and 
face the music. Eeniember that Outway is not the only city 
in the United States; that if our influence should be forever 
destroyed in Outway, we can get in our work in other parts ; 
and that the severe castigation that we are to get here will 
serve to make us more cautious in the future and cause us to 
lay our plans a little deeper.’^ 

This timely speech from Bold stiffened all their backbones 
^ materially, as well as hardened their consciences. So they de- 
cided to call Shiner and Starshoot, the speakers for the even- 
ing, before them and tell them their predicament — of course, 
smoothing it over the best they could. When they did this, 
the speakers^ suavity compelled them to say : Most cer- 

tainly it is all right with us .We sympathize with you.^^ 
They then all retired to their stopping places, and, with 
abated breath, awaited for what they thought to be the awful 
catastrophe that evening ; and it is reasonable to suppose that 
they were not far wrong in their characterization of the pro- 
spective evening meeting. 

The preachers of the various denominational churches and 
the leaders of the various societies and organizations, antici- 
pating that the convention managers would be compel led to 
honor their mammoth petition, took the liberty of announcing 
at their various places that they would dispense with the 
evening services and all go to the convention to hear Philip 
Worthy. 

Long before the hour of service arrived, people began to 
pour in from the east, west, noirth, and south — on foot, in 
buggies, in carriages, on street cars^ — till the immense con- 
vention hall, which was never known to be entirely full be- 
fore, was full to suffocation, and hundreds of people (many 
of them delegates from long distances) could not possibly get 


96 


PmLip W oin iiY. 


in. Perha,]>s there never ha.s been, and never will be^ a more 
expectant andienee assembled on the face of the earth ; and 
no speaker’s appearance ever produced a more profound im- 
})ression upon an audience than Piiilip Worthy's did a.t this 
time. For the first time in all his life was the lion plainly 
to be seen back of his mild^ but most determined, face. While 
lie stood for a few moments without saying a word, the great 
audience, beholding his magnificent })hysique, intellectual 
forehead, intelligent face, and most piercing eyes, was so 
filled Avith admiration and emotion that many, remembering 
how he had been treated, were seen to actually Aveep. Finally 
the spell Avas broken by as clea.i*, distinct, and magnetic a 
voice as Avas ever heard; and, taking into consideration the 
immense concourse of people, tlie fact that, Avithout any aji- 
jiarent effort Avhatever on the speaker's part, he could be 
heard and understood by all present Avas a marvel to all. 
There Avas not a person present Avho did not feel that he Avas 
in the presence of a master. 

Worthy began as folloAvs : Brothers and sisters in Christ, 

ladies, and gentlemen — 1 might have said ^ Mr. Chairman;’ 
but Thonias must have disappeared Avhen he saAv me coming, 
ran off' soimeAvhere and laid doAvn, for you knoAV that the Bible 
says : ' Tlie Avicked tieeth Avhen no jiian pursueth.’ AnyAvay, 
Thomas Fpman, chairman of this convention, Avas not here 
on the j>latform to introduce me and explain to this great 
audience why this [)art of the regular convent iou programme 
Avas dispensed Avith; neither is he visible to me at this ino- 
jnent; but, my friends, you aauII ahvays find men Avith Avicked 
causes invincible in peace and invisible in Avar. 

Noav, J propose to make many challcmges froiii Bible 
standpoints; and you Avill see that all those Avho have made 
this convention possible are, or Avill be, invisible, so far as 


Philip AVohtky. 


97 


accepting’ the challenges are 'concerned. In the absence of 
opponents fully capable of showing the falsity of their posi- 
tions, the erroneonsness of their teachings, and the trickery 
of their plans, they become bold^ defiant^ and invincible. 
In all the history of the world an abuse of aiiything had to 
become^ indeed, awfully bad before it would provoke snhi- 
cient sentiment to rise np and rebuke it. On no other prin- 
ciple could 1 have been induced to appear on this occasion. 
AVe have all, without one single exception, agreed tO' speak 
where the Bible speaks and keep silent where the Bible is 
silent ; we have all agreed to take the Bible as oiir exclusive 
rule of faith and practice. Again, we are told that ‘ if Ave 
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we ha,ve felloAvship 
one with another.’ Xoav it is apparent to every observant 
person that, for some cause, Ave are not united and that there 
is a lack of felloAA^ship among us, Avhich is positive evidence 
that you, Ave, or both are speaking Avhere the Bible is silent, 
keeping silent Avhere the Bible speaks, or that some of us or 
all of us are Avalking, in a measure at least, in darkness. 
Hence there is a lack of felloAvship among us. AA^ho are re- 
sponsible for this lack of felloAvshi]) ? AAdien 1 first entered 
the ministiw, I attended vour conventions till I Avas convinced 
be3nnd the possibility of a doubt that a’ou Avere not only 
Avrong in many of your practices, but that societyism itself 
is Avrong, antiscriptural, and hence divisive. I saw the im- 
])atient, arbitrary, tyrannical, and oppressive spirit of the 
prime movers of societyism and the general disposition on 
the part of almost all to sink into utter oblivion those Avho 

dared to differ from them in any Avay and Avho Avould not just 

> 

fall down before them and say : ‘ Here Ave are, heart and 
hand, soul and body, life and spirit. Xoav just take com- 
plete possession of us and all that Ave have and are, and use 


Philip WoPcTHY. 



IIS Avhen, where, and how you think proper/ For that very 
reason I came away off up here to Outway — not that I did 
not know that you would be along after a while, but with 
the hope that we could get the work so firmly established 
and the hearts of the people so stored with the word of God 
and the Lord^s way of doing things that there would be no 
room for soeietyisni in their minds when you did come. Tliis 
we tried to do, not by abusing soeietyisni, but by doing whar 
you all agreed to do — namely, speak where the Bible speaks 
and keep silent where the Bible is silent — in other words, 
teach the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible. 
But as Saul of Tarsus, when he was wrong and before he was 
converted, persecuted those who were doing right even iinto 
Damascus, a strange city, so you, not having a syllable of 
Bible authority for your soeietyisni, liave become so exceed- 
ingly mad against those who — not by word, but by their ac- 
tions — object to your man-made way of carrying on the Lord’s 
work that you have, with your national convention, pursued 
them even unto Outway, this strange city to societyism; and 
from every appearance you were as determined to either 
place us in society prisons here or take us all with you bound 
to your society capital as Saul was to either imprison the 
disciples at Damascus or bring them bound to Jerusalem. 

You have gone too far — ^iiideed, so far that our denomi- 
national friends, and even those of no church affiliation, 
have risen up against you — not for the teachings of the 
church of Christ, for tliev hear those from our bretliren liere 

all the time and in the strongest possible way, because here 

( 

they hear tliem in their purity, and hence in a way that has 
made great inroads upon their memberships. Yet these arc 
the very people who have brought about tliis severe rebuke 
for what you are doing and what we are not doing. Yow, 


Philip Worthy. 


99 


\ 

wliat is that? Whatever it is^ it is not to be found in the 
word of God : for, as I have already said, they hear all that 
hy us; and still they have never seen proper to rebuke ns in 
^ this way. It is ]iot voiir societyism^ either, for which they 
rebuke yon; for yon know that the denoininations have all 
that themselves, and hence do not object to it at all. What 
is it, then, to which they object and for which they rebuke 
yon? It is the impatient, intolerant, and arbitrary spirit 
that sO'cietyism has begotte]! in yon. Xow, while that is the 
thing for which they rebuke yon, the real trouble (if they 
could only realize it) is back of that, of which this spirit is 
only the natural resnlt — that is, the man-made societies them- 
selves, Yon all find fault with me, sav that I am not in 
good standing with the brethren, and place me on your ^ black 
list ^ because I do not attend the preachers’ meetings and be- 
come a member of their association. Eight here I want to 
issue my first challenge to every preacher present who advo- 
cates such an association and has sanctioned my name’s be- 
ing placed on the black list ’ for not attending. The chal- 
lenge is this: Give me Bible precept or example for such 
associations and many of the themes discussed, but espe- 
cially some of the resolutions passed on such occasions, and 
I will give you my name as soon as you do 'it — and the in- 
itiation fee, too, if you charge any. I pause for a reply. 
Where are all my opponents who, in my absence, are trying 
to destroy my work and sink me into oblivion? Thomas 
Upman, where are you ? Have you gone out, or are you 
in hiding somewhere within these walls ? And where is 
Eev. (?) Smoothly, who was sO' busy a few hours ago ? He 
has gone away somewhere, I presume. If Peter Bold, who 
stiffened the backs and upper lips of some of kis convention 
brethren an hour or two ago, when their coufage was cabout 

L.ofC. 


I 


100 


Philip WoirniY. 


to fail them, is present, will he accept mv challenge? Xo. 
indeed, mv friends; for, as I said before, they are as invis- 
ible in the presence of an opponent and in the midst of war 
as they are invincible in the absence of an opponent or in 
time of peace. 'What is true of these present is just as true 
of those absent. There is not a man u]>on the face of the 
earth who even claims scripture precept or example for such 
ministerial associations, discussions, and resolutions as you 
now have. I want to ask you, then, if there is no scri])ture 
for them, who is responsible for the lack of fellowship be- 
tween us at this point — we Avho abide the Scriptures, or you 
Avho go beyond the Scriptures? To ask the question is to 
answer it. When yoii disfellowship me and those who work 
with me because we Avill not consent to those things, you dis- 
fellowship us for not going beyond ^ that which is written.' 
Exactly the same rule applies to the district. State, and na- 
tional conventions. There is not a svUable of Bit>!e author- 
itv for anv of them. 

“ I Avould sto]) here to issue a second challenge ; but, then, 

I know that it would simplv be to Avaste time; for no one, 
}>rcsent or absent, will accept the challenge. Besides, .1 Avant 
to call attention to some other things for the not doing of 
Avdiich von are determined to destrov, not onlv mv infiuence, 
but that of all Avho do not do as voii sav. 

You do your utmost, by fair means and foul means, to 
lay me and those Avho agree Avith me ujion the shelf for not 
having instrumental music in the churches. Ilight hem I 
want to issue my second challenge. If there is one present 
who can shoAv me Xew Testament precept or example foi* 
the use of instrumental music in the churches of Christ, Ave 
Avill introduce it into the churches in this part of the coun- 
try next Lord's day. Who will accept this challenge? 1 


PrtlLIP ^YO^{THY. 


101 


again pause. Upinan, Smoothly, Dodger, Trust}', does this 
position seem any easier to you than the former? Xo; you 
wiW not undertake it. All oppoaients are still invisible. If 
there is no Xew Testament authority for it, avIio-, then, is 
responsible for our lack of fellowship at this points — you who 
go beyond ^ that which is written,’ or we who' stop where the 
Scriptures stop? Again I say: To ask the question is to 
answer it. Anything whatever for which there is no scrip- 
ture, to say the most of it, is only a matter of opinion ; and 
who on earth has any right to disfellowship a brother on ac- 
count of anything which is purely a matter of opinion? 
Certainly no one has such right. 

’h\gain, you have turned yonr backs upon and your faces 


and hearts against me and all who take the Bible as a com- 
])lete and perfect waybill from earth to heaven because we 
have no Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, no 


Christian Woman's Board of ^Missions, or even a modern 
Sunday school, with all the su])plies for the regular school, 
(Jhristmas, Easter, and Children’s-day exercises. Because 
we do not, you are just as determined to destroy us and our 
work as Saul was to destrov the followers of Christ ; and 
worse, for Saul was conscientious in what he did and verily 
thought that he was doing God's service, hence did not scheme 
and trick and suppress his motives to cany out his purposes. 
He was open and above board in all he did; while you all 
know that you have no Bible authority for any of those things 
for which yon. condemn us for not having, and hence you 
cannot be conscientious and verilv think that you are doing 
God’s service, especiallly in condemning us. 

If there is one present who disputes what I have said, 
1 issue a third challenge: If you will give scripture pre- 
cept or example for any of the things last mentioned, we 


102 


Philip Worthy. 


will introduce them into all our services next Lord’s da.v. 

% 

1 pause again for some one to accept the challenge. Where 
are all those bold^ defiant, and invincible men of a few hours 
ago? Invisible? Yes, invisible now, just as I told you they 
would be when they were wanted. Yow, if there is lack of 
fellowship among us at this point, I ask: Who is respon- 
sible — you who go beyond that which is written,’ or we who 
confine ourselves to ^ that which is written,’ as we all, you as 
well as we, agreed to do? Why, any intelligent jur}^ on earth 
would say that those who failed to do what they agreed to do 
are responsible; that there never can be perfect harmony and 
fellowship among several parties to an agreement if one or 
more of the parties fail to live up to the agreement. 

Then, again, you disfellowship and ostracise all who ab- 
solutely refuse to fall in with you and adopt all the missionary 
machinery that you see proper to suggest; and because they 
do not, you resort to every scheme and trick imaginable to 
defeat — yea, suppress — them and their work. You know 
that after Brother Fairplay presented my name to the pro- 
gramme committee for the last national convention, you re- 
fused me a place; and after he was gone, you agreed among 
yourselves that you could not meet us in an open fight, for 
the very reason that I have been giving to-night — namely, 
you are all teaching and practicing some things not taught in 
the Bible ; and those unwritten things are what we not only 
refuse to adopt, but oppose. That committee decided, fur- 
ther, that, inasmuch as you could not meet us in an open 
fight, the only way you could defeat our work here would 
be to do just as you have done — that is, bring the national 
co]ivention to Outway — and thereby you could, without ever 
referring to us, overshadow and crush us. So it is useless 
and worse than a waste of time to issue a challenge for scrip- 


I 


Philip Worthy. 


103 


tiire authoritv for anv of your missionary maohinerv^ beyond 
the local congregations as referred to in the Bible, for you 
haye admitted as much in your councils. 

Last of all, you condemn us because we do not exchange 
jmlpits with denominational preachers, go into union meet- 
ings with them, and fraternize with them generally. But 
did it neyer occur to you that they are not all simpletons ; 
that they understand that your object in so doing is to nialve 
inroads upon them, and not because you think anything of 
them, their teachings, or their practices? Honorbright ex- 
pressed the general sentiment among them when he said : 
You will oppose them and burlesque, ridicule, and make fuu 
of them and their ways till you want their patronage, and 
then you are as sweet as sugar and as good as pie.^ Yo ; they 
suspect your motives in that, just as they have in your bring- 
ing this convention here; and hence they do not love, fear, 
or have any respect for you; and, to be honest with you, I 
cannot see how you can have any respect for yourselves. 

I want to say to my denominational friends who are here 
to-night: You now see that we do not oppose you, but the 
error incorporated in your systems of teaching; and we op- 
]DOse error not only among you, but among our own bretli- 
ren and everywhere it is taught. You have always given 
us credit for being honest, for teaching and at least trying to 
practice what we believe the Bible teaches; and for that very 
reason you love, honor, and even fear us — fear that because 
of our Bible teachings and honesty we would absorb your 
cougregations. But I want to say to you in all candor to- 
night that you have all these society brethren at your mercy. 
For instance, if they ask you for your scripture authority for 
sprinkling, you just tell them that a large part of the chap- 
ter in which the account of preachers^ associations and dis- 


V 


104 


PiriLip Worthy. 


ti’iet. State, and national conventions are recorded is de- 
voted to sprinkling; if they ask yon where yon find scrip- 
ture precept or example for infant baptism, yon tell them 
that they certainly ought to know that^ for it is in the same 
chapter that gives them anthoriy for Children’s-day and 
Easter exercises; if they ask yon for scripture antliority for 
voiii’ creeds, von tell them that vonr creeds and the consti- 
tiitions and by-laws of their own man-made societies are men- 
tioned in verv close connection; if thev ask von where von get 
scripture antliority for six months’ probation^ yon tell them 
that the authority for six montlis’ probation and the annnal 
resignation of the elders and deacons are so closely connected 
that they are inseparable. If yon do this^ yon will find that 
they will be as speechless as they have been here to-night; and 
if yon should ever identify yonrselves with thenp yon would 
not be free^ for the truth alone will make yon free. As J 
have always told yon that yon are bond servants of denoini- 
nationalism and will never know what true freedom is till 
von throw off vonr denominationalism and take the Bible 
alone, to which every one who has done this will testify^ so 
.1 i>ci\ to mv societv brethren i>resent and evervwhere that von 

are bond servants of vonr societvism and will never know what 

• « 

true freedom is till von throw voiir societvism off and take 
the Bible alone for everything, to which all who have done 
this will testify. 

Finallv, 1 want to sav that the worst feature of the whole^ 
system is tliat it hoists men — frequently young men who can- 
not control theinselves^ and sometimes designing men who 
do not try to control themselves — into positions where they 
can, and do, actually ‘lord it over’ the elders, not oidy of 
their home cong]*egations, but all the cougregations rcjn’e- 
‘sented in the districts ])rcisided over by them ; and, as Brother 


Philip Worthy.- 


105 


Fairplav told your various programme committees, ^ it lays 
many of the most honest and. conscientious^ of our brethren 

t ' 

u])on the shelf — just at the age, too, when, because of their 
experience, they would be the most useful to the churches ; ’ 
and all this simply because their consciences would not allow 
them to accept and adopt your man-made societies. 

You also have a system of intercommunication ainono; 


the secretaries of the various human boards throughout the 
country, and you have encouraged these secretaries to form 
themselves into a kind of an information bureau to inquire 
into the character of eyery preacher in the land and sit in 
judgment u]>on the same. These secretaries, consciously or 
unconsciously, estimate the ])reachers by their attitude to- 
ward these human societies; so that if a preacher, however 
able he may be, arouses the suspicion of one member of any 
board in the country by questioning their humanisms, he 
re])Oits to the seci’etary of that board and that secretary re- 
])orts to the secretaries of all the boards, and the suspicious 
character goes on all their ^ black lists. ^ After that, if he 
gets work anywhere, it will be in spite of combined society- 
ism. Of all this we have a striking illnstration right before 
our eves now in the wa,v that yon have tried to crush the 
Avork here by this great convention. 

Xow. mv friends, I know that 1 have scored von riijht 
and left and pierced you through and through, Avhile you 
have been completely at my mercy. And Avhy? Xot be- 
cause you are not intelligent, not because you are cowardly 
or inditferent, but because you have not the truth — or, rather. 


have so much that is not truth; hence your Aveakness. 
Everything seems to indicate that there is a great triumph 
for truth here to-night, and to this extent I rejoice; but, in 
spite of my rejoicing, there is a feeling of the deepest sad- 


/ 


106 Philip Woktiiy. 

ness when I look all over this great audience and see my 
dear^ good friends by the hundreds so completely enslaved 
by denominationalism that it seems to be utterly impossible 
for them to come to the truth, where alone in all this world 
they can enjoy perfect freedom and liberty, and also to see 
my society friends so completely enslaved by societyism that 
it seems utterly impossible for them to come to the truth, 
where they can enjoy that perfect freedom that the word of 
God alone affords. 

The only reason that I have said what I have to-night 
is not because I despise any of you, but because I love you; 
and if I have appeared a little sarcastic at times, it was only 
to challenge vour attention to the ruinous additions that vou 
]iave made to the word of God, and thereby supplanted the 
work of the elders, and even the churches themselves, by 
human societies. 0, instead of hating any of you, if it would 
do any good, I could weep, mourn, and cry aloud over our 
divided condition! We all know that the miserable tree of 
division has never produced any tiring but bitter fruits — strife; 
dissension, and contention; while our being one, as God and 
Christ are one, as the Savior prayed, and being of the same 
mind, the same judgment, and speaking the same thing, as 
the apostles taught, will always produce strength, happiness, 
joy, peace, comfort, consolation, and hope. 

Believing with all my heart, from the rapt attention to 
this rather lengthy address, that hundreds present to-night 
see this impoidant truth as never before and are now ready 
to bow implicitly to the word of God as their exclusive rule 
of faith and practice, we are going to sing a song of Heaven^s 
invitation for you to come to God, come to Christ, come to 
the Bible — to salvation. Let nothing come between you and 
salvation or between you and perfect liberty. 0, the weights 


Philip Worthy. 


107 


and balances of eternity are suspended upon your choice to- 
night! God says come, Christ says come, the church says 
come, and the angels of heaven are now leaning, as it were, 
over the shining battlements of heaven to hear vour decision. 
What will it be? Though the oceans may cover you and the 
mountains, press you down, though the earth may tremble 
and the heavens fall, make the right choice to-night, while 
we all stand and sing.^^ 

As nearly that entire concourse of people sung that good 
old song, ‘^hlm I a Soldier of the Cross ? with greater zeal 
than ever before in the history of their lives, people began 
to come by the score, from the right and from the left, from 
the front and from the rear, from within the tabernacle and 
from without — ministers and people froni denominational- 
ism, from societyism, and from the world — till, beyond the 
possibility of a doubt, it was the most enthusiastic meeting 
and the greatest ingathering since the first Pentecost after 
the Savior's resurrection from the dead. 

When the song was finished, all sat down except Honor- 

bright, minister of Church, who remained standing and 

said : I noticed several denominational ministers and very 

]iiany members of the various churches, my own as well as 
others, go forward; and I was more than rejoiced to see it. 
The reason I did not go forward was not because I thought 
tliat Brother Worthy was wrong in a single point, but be- 
cause I wanted this opportunity to invite him to come to our 
church next Lord^s day and help us to unload our traditions, 
humanisms, and creeds, and get back to the Bible — organize 
us into a church of Christ. If we cannot gainsay anything 
that he has said to-night; if his own brethren who have made 
additions to the Lord's worship cannot; if no one in this 
great convention can, why, he must be right. I think the 


108 


Philip Worthy. 


wise and honest thing for us a, 11 to do is to just give it all 
up — throw everything luinian to the winds — and go baek to 
the Bible, whence we started and where the Lord intendecL 
for ns to remain; and if yon cannot get back by your- 
selves, do just like we are going to do^ — that is, get Brotlier 
Worthy do come and help yon/^ 

This seemed to be the consensus of opinion of all present, 
except a few who were too prejudiced or too stubborn to yield 
error for truth. 


After hundreds were heard to make the noble confession 
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God,’' and 
after the baptisms had been set for the following evening, 
Philip Worthy closed the meeting with the following prayer 
and benediction: Ever-to-be-adored arid ever-to-be-praised 

Lord God Almighty, in view of the shortness of time and the 
length of eternity, the uncertainty of life, the certainty or' 
death and the judgment, we stand in th}" divine presence, 
with great humility of heart and deep solemnity of purpose ; 
for we all realize that we are so weak and so lielpless thai 
Avithout thy divine aid Ave can do nothing, surrounded, as Ave 
are, by sins and temptations, by Avhich AA^e are frequently over- 
come and made to turn to the right and to the left, to sin 
by omission and commission, by Avord, thought, and deed ; 
that Ave are entirely dependent upon thee for all that we havi^ 
and are or expect to be, in this Avorld and in the Avorld to 
come. But Ave bless and praise and magnify thy great and 
holy name for Avhat our eyes have seen, our ears have heard, 
and our hearts have been made to enjoy this night. Heaven 
and earth are noAv rejoicing together over the humble sub- 
mission of so many to thy holy hiAV. May all avIio have made, 
this noble confession to-night put their Lord on in baptism 
and ^ arise to Avalk in ncAvncAss of life.’ Henceforth mav 


Philip Worthy. 


109 


their entire lives be in perfect keeping with the great confes- 
sipn they have inade^ the positioirs they occupy in the chnrcly. 
and ever ‘ walk worthy of the vocation wherewith tliey are 
called ; ' may they be a blessing to their families, the commn- 
nitv, the church, and the world ; and mav the blessings of 
Heaven rest upon them at all times. As we go away from 
this place, may we all feel that it is good for us to have 
l)een here; may we feel ^strong in the Lord, and in the 
])ower of his might,’ more determined than ever before to 
‘ faithfully continue in Avelldoing, ever seeking for glory, 
lionor, incorruption, and eternal life; ’ may we draAv the 
armor of God closer about us and Avalk with a firmer step 
than ever before. And, finally, when we are worn out in thy 
service — are done with the trials, tribulations, and disap- 
pointments of this life; when our pathways shall have brought 
us to the edge of our graves, may Ave have nothing to do but 
to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus, there to- await that l3right 
and glorious resurrection morn, Avhen, at the trump of God, 
Ave shall all come forth to meet thee in peace; Avhen Ave shall 
have a joyful entrance through the pearly gates into that 
eternal city — there Avhere Ave may, hand in hand, arm in arm, 
Avith all of our friends in Christ Avho liaAu gone before us 
and Avho are to folloAv after us, Avalk the gold-paved streets 
of that celestial city; there where Ave may join in as mem- 
bers of that heavenly choir and in the melodies of heaven 
sing that heavenly song to the glory, honor, and imnioi-tality 
of God, the Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, our blessed 
Lord and Pedeemer. Amen.” 


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